Dan Cayan, of Scripps Institute of Oceanography/US Geological Survey, set the tone for the day with his keynote presentation of charts showing climate change impacts on various regions in the U.S. In a stunning series of graphs, Cayan illustrated to what degree different regions will be impacted by variations in climate. Both coasts had patches of green, indicating moderate effect, most of the middle U.S. was blue, indicating comparatively less effect: but when you hit the Sierra Nevada, a bright orange band, indicating severe effect by climate change, painted a stark picture: according to these graphs, the Sierra Nevada is very vulnerable: more so than much of the United States. Cayan said the Sierra Nevada is a bellwether for climate change.
Cayan was a presenter a The Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s First Annual Climate Symposium held December 5 in Nevada City. California Secretary of Resources Mike Chrisman, Sierra Nevada Conservancy Executive Director Jim Branham, and a number of Conservancy Board Members, including retired state senator Byron Sher, added critical mass to this vitally important discussion.
‘The Sierras are exquisitely sensitive to change, not only hydrologically, but biologically,’ Cayan said.
The Sierras, perhaps more than most of America, have reason to care about climate change: they will feel these changes profoundly.
Panelists and moderators from diverse fields brought their considerable experience and knowledge together to examine how best to address climate change in the Sierra. Some 200 people gathered from as far south as Visalia and north to Quincy. Among them were city and county leaders, conservationists, planners, water agencies, individuals in forestry, ski resort and energy industries, with a smattering of concerned citizens wishing to learn. Truckee and Tahoe were well represented. Sierra Business Council’s Steve Frisch served as a moderator, and Truckee Town Manager Tony Lashbrook participated as a panelist. Also in attendance was Truckee Vice Mayor Barbara Green. Sierra Nevada Alliance’s Autumn Bernstein was a panelist and Executive Director Joan Clayburgh attended.
A brief and friendly welcome from Jim Branham was followed by Secretary Chrisman’s opening remarks on administration efforts regarding climate change. Noting Governor Schwarzenegger’s insistence on keeping Assembly Bill 32, California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006*, meaningful and California’s perceived leadership in environmental law world-wide, Chrisman suggested that those of us who care deeply about stewardship engage in a conversation on climatic change, and what we can do individually and collectively to effect it. As an example of California’s commitment to environmental leadership, Secretary Mike Chrisman and several other California State government members will participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, December 3 to 16, 2007.
The day was organized into two sessions Climate Change Implications for the Sierra and How the Sierra Can be Part of the Solution: The Unique Tools within the Sierra for Dealing with these Issues. Two concurrent panels were held in each session.
One afternoon panel discussion on solutions for the Sierra focused on federal land management, development/building, transportation and air quality.
When a discussion question from the audience brought up the state of America’s national priorities and the effect of political decisions on climate change, Reinette Senum, of Power-Up, responded quickly and concisely, ‘We are acting as if we have 30 years to make a change and the reality is that we don’t have this time. The path to national change takes too long: we no longer have the luxury of this time. Real power exists at a grass-roots level. We need to use the tools we have through our local county and city governments, our Fire Safe Councils, and even our homeowner’s associations. Be willing to make changes in your own life to reduce your carbon footprint. Can we change enough, soon enough?’
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is a young agency. Events such as this symposium indicate its role is developing as a convener and mediator. In the concluding panel of moderators there was a shared perception that the kind of leadership shown in the symposium brought the best out in people. There was no single answer to the many questions raised, rather many collective efforts being made by multiple organizations in each region of the Sierra Nevada. This is good, since the big questions on climate change in the Sierra Nevada will have to be answered collectively.
~ The Sierra Nevada Conservancy will publish materials from the Climate Change in the Sierra event: sierranevada.ca.gov.
* AB 32 codifies the state’s goal by requiring that the state’s global warming emissions be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020.
