1. ADAPTATION to CLIMATE CHANGE
Kick-Off Meeting
March 24, :00 AM to 12:30 PM
Slide 1

2. Agenda Opening Remarks Speaker Presentations Q & A Road Mapping
Working Groups
Desired Outcomes for 2010
Slide 2

3. Opening Remarks Secretary John Hanger,
Department of Environmental Protection
Acting Secretary John Quigley,
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

4. Global Temperature Trend

5. United States Surface Temperature Trends
Over the past century, there has been a gradual increase in temperature at an average rate of 0.11 degrees F per decade for contiguous US.
Average temperatures rose at 5 times this rate (0.56 degrees F per decade) from 1979 to 2005.
The most recent eight-, nine-, and ten-year periods were the warmest on record.
-Observations compiled by NOAA National Climatic Data Center for slides 4 and 5
Slide 4

6. US Annual Mean Temperature Anomalies (1901-2005)
Slide 5

7. PA Precipitation Data: The chart shows above average precipitation since 1980
Slide 6

8. Shifting climate zones
Slide 7

9. Global sea level is rising and will very likely continue to rise
Slide 8
Rahmstorf (2007)

10. “PA Assessment of Impacts” Speaker: James Shortle, Ph.D.
Slide 9

11. Risks and Impacts for the Insurance Industry
Speaker:
Kyle Beatty,
Willis Re Inc.
Slide 10

12. Delaware River Basin Case Study
Speaker:
Jessica Sanchez
Delaware River Basin Commission
Slide 11

13. Q & A
What is Adaptation?
Adaptation is enhancing the resilience of the natural environment, the built environment and human institutions to climate change.
Slide 12

14. Road Mapping PA Climate Change Act (Act 70 of 2008)
Climate Change Advisory Committee
Climate Change Action Plan details 52 mitigation recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Published in December 2009 and updated every three years.
Slide 13

15. Need to Address Adaptation
Analysis of impacts is a requirement for federal funding from US Fish & Wildlife Service, USGS Center for Wildlife and Climate Change, US Forest Service and Farm Bill.
“[We] must adapt and improve resilience to minimize risk to people, natural places, and key infrastructure.   Adaptation will require thoughtful, preventative actions and investments, and demand new approaches and preparation from nonprofit, private and government entities.”
- Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Interim Progress Report of the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, 3/16/10.

16. States with Adaptation Plans
Source: Pew Center on Global Climate Change

17. Working Groups
Establish working groups to bring together key stakeholders to provide practical recommendations for these broad categories:
Natural resources (forests, wildlife, agriculture, surface water)
Public Health and Safety (public health, emergency response, economically depressed communities)
Infrastructure (transportation, buildings, water-related, energy, land use, insurance)
Tourism and Outdoor Recreation (regional tourism, hunting and fishing organizations, ski resorts)
Slide 15

18. Climate Change Adaptation Working Group Flow Diagram
Slide 16

19. Statewide Adaptation Process
DEP will guide the agendas for the working group meetings and coordinate with the Climate Change Advisory Committee.
Timeframe is 9 to 10 months
Approximately 5 bimonthly meetings
Last meeting is for all participants to share key outcomes and keep the process evolving (not once and done).
Slide 17

20. “Weathering Climate Change: Suggestions for a Statewide Planning Process”
Speaker:
Nels Johnson,
The Nature Conservancy
Slide 14

21. Desired Outcomes
Stakeholders to provide input by participating in working groups; there is overlap.
Meetings will be announced via from distribution list and today’s sign-in sheets.
Chairs are envisioned to lead each of the 4 working groups.
2 Co-chairs, ideally one from state agency and one from non-government organization
Slide 18

22. Desired Outcomes: Priorities, Needs and Barriers
A white paper from each working group will answer these questions:
What are the key focus areas for vulnerability and risk caused by climate change?
What efforts are currently addressing the key focus areas?
What practical actions can we recommend with the resources that are available?
What information is missing that needs to be addressed? Identify opportunities for collaboration.
Slide 19

23. Next Steps
This challenge to develop adaptation strategies goes beyond one organization or one area of expertise. Collaboration and sharing information across all boundaries is necessary.
Fluid, ongoing process will focus on adaptation measures that are proactive and practical.
Slide 20

24. Q & A
Contact Information
Department of Environmental Protection
Climate Change Program
Phone
Online:
Keyword: Climate Change
Joseph Sherrick, Program Manager
Kim Hoover, Energy Program Specialist
Slide 21