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On the calendar today …
- WEBINAR: Achieving Equitable, Climate Resilient Water and Sanitation for Frontline Communities: Water, Sanitation, and Climate Change in the United States Series from 11am to 12pm. Achieving equitable and climate resilient water and sanitation is a challenge for many frontline communities. This is why Pacific Institute, DigDeep, and the Center for Water Security and Cooperation partnered to create Achieving Equitable, Climate-Resilient Water and Sanitation for Frontline Communities, part 3 in a series on Water, Sanitation, and Climate Change in the United States. The webinar presenters will discuss key findings from the report, using a framework that centers the resilience of frontline communities. This is an eight-part framework that categorized key attributes of equitable and climate-resilient water and sanitation, including built infrastructure, technology and innovation, natural infrastructure, management and planning, funding and financing, knowledge and information, capacity building, and law and policy. While this framework provided structure, the novelty of this report lies in the documentation of over 100 strategies developed by and for frontline communities across the United States to advance equitable, climate-resilient water and sanitation. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Trump signs order to ‘make America’s showers great again’
“President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday lifting restrictions on how much water can be used by shower heads, saying his administration would “make America’s showers great again.” The order underscored how Trump remains fixated on one of his favorite targets — more-efficient shower heads that he has blamed for ruining his “perfect” hair — even in the midst of global upheaval caused by his turbulent tariff policies. “I like to take a nice shower to take care of my beautiful hair,” Trump said before signing the order at the White House. “I have to stand in the shower for 15 minutes until it gets wet. … It’s ridiculous.” In a fact sheet sent to reporters, the White House said the order “frees Americans from excessive regulations that turned a basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare,” adding that Trump would “end the Obama-Biden war on water pressure and make America’s showers great again.” … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
Trump lets the water flow — again — as he reverses Biden rule restricting showerheads
“President Donald Trump has long complained about modern rules that limit water flow for showerheads, making it harder for him to wash his “beautiful hair.” In his first term, Trump directed that restrictions on showerheads be loosened, an action that former President Joe Biden reversed. Now Trump is going to let the water flow — again. An executive order he signed Wednesday calls for an immediate end to water conservation standards that restrict the number of gallons per minute that flow through showerheads and other appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and toilets. “I like to take a nice shower, take care of my beautiful hair,” Trump said Wednesday as he signed an executive order at the White House. “I have to stand in the shower for 15 minutes until it gets wet. Comes out drip, drip, drip. It’s ridiculous.” … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
50L Home Coalition and USGBC California reduce indoor water usage by over 20% while improving consumer delight with whole-home approach
“In celebration of World Water Day, the 50 Liter Home Coalition (50L Home) and the U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC California) – convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and the World Economic Forum (WEF) – announced the preliminary results of a two-year pilot program, showing how existing products on the market, including plumbing fixtures, faucets, appliances, and consumable products designed to help save water and energy can achieve notable savings in domestic water and energy consumption, while consumers continue to enjoy a positive experience. This program is providing insights vital to water-stressed places like Los Angeles and enabling people to use less water at home while enjoying their daily routines. In addition to lower water and energy bills, a majority of participants in the pilot reported a positive impact of the combination of provided products, appliances and fixtures on their quality of life at home … ” Read more from USGBC California.
Trump targets California climate laws in new executive order
“President Donald Trump has issued an order that takes aim at state and local climate change laws and policies, including California’s landmark market program for reducing greenhouse gases. Trump’s executive order directs U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to identify state and local acts that may be unconstitutional or preempted by federal law. Within 60 days, the attorney general must report back to the president with findings and recommendations for action. Trump’s order singles out California’s cap and trade program, a market-based system created in 2012 that is considered one of the state’s key policies for combating climate change. The program sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions and allows companies to buy and sell credits. Twelve other states have similar trade programs for cutting greenhouse gases. “California, for example, punishes carbon use by adopting impossible caps on the amount of carbon businesses may use, all but forcing businesses to pay large sums to ‘trade’ carbon credits to meet California’s radical requirements,” Trump’s order says. … ” Read more from Cal Matters.
Trump declares war on state climate laws
“President Donald Trump is throwing the weight of the Justice Department against the last bastion of U.S. climate action: states and cities. In a sweeping executive order signed late Tuesday, Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to “stop the enforcement of State laws” on climate change that the administration says are unconstitutional, unenforceable or preempted by federal laws. The order names California, New York and Vermont as specific targets, while also listing a broad range of state policies that the administration would seek to nullify — from cap-and-trade systems to permitting rules. The executive order also targets the array of lawsuits that mostly Democratic-led states, cities and counties have brought against oil majors, seeking compensation for the ravages of climate change, such as rising tides and more frequent wildfires. … ” Read more from Politico.
SEE ALSO:
- Assault on climate laws exposes Trump’s hypocrisy on states’ rights, critics say, from E&E News
- Trump makes sweeping move to undercut state climate laws, including California’s, from the LA Times
- Why Trump’s executive order targeting state climate laws is probably illegal, from Grist
In commentary today …
DOGE and Trump quash a Klamath River basin comeback
Jacques Leslie writes, “The Trump administration ruined what should have been a good spring in the Klamath River basin. By abruptly laying off federal personnel and freezing payments for already authorized programs and projects, the administration replaced a budding sense of hopefulness in the basin with fear and uncertainty, and tore at fragile bonds years in the making among upper basin ranchers and farmers, federal, state and local governments, nonprofits and Native tribes. In a region where conflict over water has simmered for the last quarter-century, trust was already fragile. Now it is smashed to smithereens. Through the 21st century the Klamath has lurched from crisis to crisis, usually related to the extended drought that has hovered over the basin most of that time. What distinguishes the current debacle is that it has no relation to natural phenomena. It’s entirely man-made — and entirely unnecessary. Out of disregard for the needs of ordinary Americans and an apparent desire to eviscerate whatever was championed by his predecessor, Joe Biden, Trump has allowed Elon Musk to take a blunt hatchet to federal expenditures. The result in the Klamath — where voters overwhelmingly chose Trump in 2024 — is that many people feel fearful and betrayed. … ” Read more from the LA Times. | Read via Yahoo News.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Farm Bureaus in Russian River counties issue plea to President Trump to keep the Potter Valley dams in place
“About a month ago, the Lake County Board of Supervisors begged President Donald Trump to put a halt to the deal to remove the two antiquated hydropower dams way up near the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Eel. That deal was reached in mid-February, after years of negotiations. PG&E doesn’t want the dams anymore. It plans to petition the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allow them to be removed, in a process that would mirror the historic undamming of the Klamath. But Lake County wanted to throw some sand in the gears, and now that body is joined by the local chapters of the Farm Bureau in Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties. Last week, they sent a letter to President Trump, who has made speeches about the folly of allowing the water in California rivers to return to the sea, and in that letter they petition the president to order FERC to keep the dams in place. … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
What does our water picture look like after this winter?: ‘this year is a lesson’
“April 1 marks an important milestone for snowpacks and water supply forecasts as the date basin snowpacks typically reach a peak before melting. However, a wave of warm temperatures late March started the melt early, adding a caveat to April 1 measurements. According to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Nevada Water Supply Outlook Report, snowpacks in the eastern Sierra basins would have exceeded normal peaks had the warm weather not decreased the snow totals ahead of the end of March through early April storms. The warm temperatures the region saw between March 21-27 gave snowmelt a head start this year. NRCS recorded the average air temperature at 48 degrees Fahrenheit on March 26 across their monitoring sites in the Sierra Nevada. This temperature was close to the record for that date. Shortly after, winter decided it wasn’t over yet. … ” Read more from the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Nevada lawmakers hoping Tahoe visitors will BYOB (bring your own bottle)
“Lake Tahoe is famous for its clear water, spectacular shoreline and plentiful beaches. Popular spots for sunbathing, picnicking and other activities, the beaches have a problem — plastic bottles. Single-use plastic bottles are one of the most common pieces of trash found around Lake Tahoe, regularly outnumbering aluminum cans, pull tabs and food wrappers cleaned up by volunteers. On both the California and Nevada sides of the lake, volunteers at cleanup efforts organized by Keep Tahoe Blue have picked up more than 24,000 plastic bottles over the past decade. In 2023 and 2024, volunteers removed more than 2,000 plastic bottles just from the Nevada side. A bill introduced by Sen. Melanie Scheible (D-Las Vegas) takes direct aim at the issue and would prohibit the sale of single-use plastic water bottles on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. … ” Read more from the Nevada Independent.
Public input sought for Motel 6 property and Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe
“The California Tahoe Conservancy is asking for input from the public on restoration and public access improvements at the site of the former Motel 6 and the rest of the south end of the Upper Truckee Marsh. The Upper Truckee River flows through the center of the City of South Lake Tahoe. Much of the river’s floodplain has been developed and paved over since the 1940s. The Conservancy—with the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, as well as federal, state, and local partners—is developing the Upper Truckee Marsh South project. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Congressman ‘fully engaged’ to find source of levee funds
“First District Congress member Doug LaMalfa’s office said Tuesday he is “fully engaged” with local, state, and federal authorities to find a source of money for $100 million in levee work in Yuba, Sutter, and Colusa counties. The office was responding to word that the Federal Emergency Management Agency last week halted a grant program that could have provided funding for flood risk reduction projects for the Yuba City basin, south Yuba County, and the Grimes area of Colusa County. On Thursday, FEMA announced that it is ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and canceling all BRIC grant applications. The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency ($50 million), Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority ($30 million), and the Sacramento River West Side Levee District ($20 million), all had applications for grants from the program. … ” Read more from the Appeal Democrat.
Sacramento-area water providers boost groundwater reserves in 2024
“The Regional Water Authority (RWA), representing nearly two dozen water providers in the Sacramento region serving 2.2 million people, announced today that local water providers banked 35,231 acre-feet of water in the Sacramento Regional Water Bank during the 2024 calendar year. This amount is equivalent to nearly 11.5 billion gallons of water—enough to serve nearly 105,700 households for a year.* The Water Bank is a network of groundwater wells, pumps, and pipelines that enable local water providers to store excess water in underground aquifers. It is estimated that the region’s aquifers can store twice the volume of water as Folsom Reservoir. The Water Bank is crucial for adapting the region’s water system to climate change, which is expected to reduce snowpack and cause more extreme droughts and floods. “Once again, water banking has proven to be an effective solution for storing water that will be available when it’s needed most,” said Jim Peifer, RWA Executive Director. “In a year with near-average conditions in the American River watershed, local water providers were still able to bank a significant amount of water to support both our communities and the environment during dry periods.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Regional Water Authority.
SEE ALSO: The Sacramento region banked 11.5 billion gallons of groundwater last year. Here’s how, from KCRA
NAPA/SONOMA
Sonoma Water reports water supplies are high as the rainy season draws to a close
“The North Bay has seen one of the wetter seasons in California this year, with above-average rainfall. Since Oct. 1, Santa Rosa has received 40.68 inches of rain, 147.3% of average, and Ukiah has seen 34.48 inches, 104% of average. Thanks to this wet season, both Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino are full, putting us in a strong position as we head into the warmer months. While our water outlook is solid for now, it’s still important to use water wisely. Droughts can return, and other parts of the state — like Southern California — saw below-average rainfall this year. This year has also been warmer than average this season, with 42 counties recording temperatures as the warmest 10% on record. … ” Read more from the Sonoma Valley Sun.
BAY AREA
East Bay water district closes boat access at 3 California reservoirs amid golden mussels concerns
“East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) is keeping boat launches closed for the 2025 season at three of its reservoirs in an effort to prevent the spread of golden mussels. Earlier this year, EBMUD closed boat access to the Pardee and Camanche reservoirs, both located in the Sierra foothills, until further notice. In an update on Wednesday, EBMUD announced the boat launches at the two reservoirs, along with the San Pablo Reservoir in the East Bay, will remain closed throughout the 2025 season. “So, we’ve had a couple of boats, but this one’s brand new. And now it’s stuck in the shop, can’t use it,” said Ryan Pennelly, as he showed off his trailered 22′ ski and wake surfing boat. … ” Read more from CBS Bay Area.
San Jose celebrates city’s 1st green stormwater infrastructure project
“San Jose is celebrating a major milestone in the city’s clean water and sustainability initiatives. City officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning to showcase the city’s first green stormwater infrastructure project. It’s called the Riverview Stormwater Garden, and it can be found near the corner of Riverview Parkway and Skytop Street in San Jose. This five-acre bioretention project has been years in the making, and it’s meant to combine natural stormwater treatment with existing flood control measures. The city says it’s expected to, not only enhance water quality but also reduce pollution and maintain essential flood management functions. … ” Read more from ABC 7.
CENTRAL COAST
Lake Nacimiento at risk: Group takes legal action
The Nacimiento Regional Water Management Advisory Committee writes, “The Nacimiento Regional Water Management Advisory Committee is in a critical legal battle against Monterey County’s mismanagement of Lake Nacimiento’s water levels. Excessive water releases and the controversial Interlake Tunnel Project threaten to devastate recreation, tourism, and the local economy. A San Luis Obispo County judge has ordered Monterey County to engage in a final settlement process with our committee to address these ongoing issues. The outcome of this legal fight could determine whether Lake Nacimiento remains a thriving resource for boaters, fishermen, and families—or continues to be drained at the expense of local communities. … ” Read more from Cal Coast News.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Beaver reintroduction to Tule River has been a challenge
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has provided an update on the results so far of returning beavers to watersheds, which included working with the Tule Rive Tribe to return beavers to the Tule River. So far the effort to return beavers to the Tule River has been challenging when it comes to all three releases that were done. All of the seven beavers in the first release may have been killed by predators and there has also been human tampering of monitoring equipment. CDFW stated after a year-and-a-half the beavers have begun their work as “ecosystem engineers” initiating the restoration of wetlands and building resilience to the effects of climate change such as drought and wildfire. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
New board member with old ties appointed to powerful Kern water agency
“The Division 1 board seat on the powerful Kern County Water Agency came full circle Tuesday after Jay Kroeker was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Ted Page who resigned early last month. Kroeker is a son-in-law of the late Fred Starrh who held that same seat for 28 years before being beaten by Page in an upset election in 2010. Starrh died in 2019. Kroeker is a partner in Starrh Farms, which operates mostly in northwestern Kern County. Their lands are in the Lost Hills Water District and Belridge and Semitropic water storage districts, which get water from the State Water project, and the Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District, which holds a federal contract for water from the Central Valley Project. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
When will LA have its own water supply? It will take 30 more years.
“The mythology of rugged individualism often touted in the West comes to a screeching halt where water is concerned, especially here in Los Angeles. That’s because the city has long been propped up by water shipped from hundreds of miles away to the extent that today, about 85% of its drinking water is imported. … Imported water is an addiction the city will have to kick if it’s to weather the worsening impacts from climate change. That’s why, since at least 2008, LA leaders have pushed the city — but have so far failed — to massively increase the amount of recycled wastewater it uses for drinking. Currently, that number is around 2%. These plans took a major step forward with the completion last December of Pure Water LA, a city plan to massively scale-up the amount of wastewater it recycles at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant in Playa Del Rey. The aim is to eventually make the city 70% reliant on local supplies. Today, about 15% of water is derived from local supplies. … ” Read more from the LA Public Press.
Amid California’s climate concerns, Pasadena turns water conservation into a community event
“In a state where drought is never far from mind, Pasadena is taking fresh approaches to water conservation, turning educational initiatives into community celebrations. Pasadena Water and Power is joining utilities nationwide this May to celebrate Water Awareness Month with a series of free educational events, tours, and contests designed to promote water conservation. The initiative, part of PWP’s “The Ripple Effect” campaign, aims to raise awareness about water sustainability and encourage community members to become local water stewards. The month-long series of activities kicks off with a “Garden Show and Tell” running from April 28 through June 13, where community members can share photos of their gardens transformed from “thirsty turf to drought-tolerant beauty.” … ” Read more from Pasadena Now.
L.A. County fire-affected beaches are safe for swimming, health officials say
“Just in time for a mini heat wave going into the weekend, local public health authorities have lifted ocean water advisories placed on Malibu- and Santa Monica-area beaches affected by January’s Palisades fire. Even though officials are deeming the water safe for recreation, they’re still cautioning beachgoers to avoid any fire-related debris they encounter in the ocean. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced the ocean water advisory placed on Las Flores State Beach to Santa Monica State Beach had been lifted. The decision was made based on water testing and analysis conducted by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board on the ocean water and sand between the end of January and mid-March. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
The government is clearing fire debris from thousands of plots. Here’s what it looks like
“The corner of Thurin Avenue and West Loma Alta Drive in Altadena offers a snapshot of recovery, three months after the Eaton Fire. The burnt out cars, mountains of ash and all those chimneys have to go somewhere before rebuilding can begin. And on a recent weekday morning, crews contracted with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were on this block cleaning out plots. One group of workers in hard hats and blue protective gear sifted through a husk of a home, shuffling in the space between two chimneys looking for asbestos to remove. Across the street, a group in tyvek suits and respirators removed piles of waste from the shell of yet another home lost to the fire. And next door to that, an example of where each of the thousand plots destroyed in the fire will eventually end up: a mostly clear lot, with a gate and patio still standing around it. The ground had been sprayed down with a green substance called hydromulch and surrounded with straw bags to prevent flooding. In what once was the home’s back garden, sprigs of plants now grow. … ” Read more from LAist.
SAN DIEGO
Coastal Commission approves $1.8 million grant for Oceanside sand project
“The California Coastal Commission approved a more than $1.8 million grant Wednesday to cover costs of baseline studies needed for Oceanside’s Re:Beach sand replenishment project. Details are still in development, but the project calls for pumping about 900,000 cubic yards of sand from the ocean outside the surf line onto several badly eroded blocks south of the Oceanside Pier. The amount of sand is more than twice the usual volume produced by the spring dredging of the Oceanside Harbor. Also included in the proposed pilot project are the construction of two headlands and an offshore artificial reef to help retain the added sand. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Algae blooms off California coast could be worsened by Tijuana River pollution
“Southern California has been dealing with the Tijuana River sewage crisis for decades and it has recently faced worsening harmful algae blooms, with this last environmental issue likely fueled in part by the first. In recent months, officials have been reporting an unusually high number of beached marine animals along California’s coastline caused by a toxic algae bloom. Harmful algal blooms occur when certain algae grow excessively and release toxins. The cause of the ongoing beaching incidents is the harmful algae Pseudo-nitzschia, which produces domoic acid. … ” Read more from Fox News.
Along the Colorado River …
Taking stock of the spring snowpack
“April 1, the midpoint in the water year, is an important milestone for scientists, water managers, and others who track the American West’s snowpack. Each watershed has its own typical peak date for the snowpack, but in many places, April 1 has been a traditional moment for taking stock of how the spring snowpack is stacking up. Accordingly, I’ve collected a variety of maps and charts below that illustrate the state of play on April 1. Snowmelt accounts for the majority of the flow in many Western rivers, so the current status of the snowpack has major implications for the runoff that will supply downstream ecosystems, agriculture, and communities. That said, the weather over the next couple of months will play a crucial role in the story of this year’s snowpack. … ” Read more from the Water Desk.
SEE ALSO: Let’s talk about the Western U.S. and their water situation in 2025, from The Eyewall
‘Worst case scenario’: Arizona remains hottest, driest in recent history
“The record-breaking drought affecting Arizona and most of the Southwest is only getting worse, experts fear. Coming out of a La Niña weather system, known for bringing warm, dry winters to the region, soil moisture across the state is below 10% of the historic average, meaning most of the remaining snowmelt will soak into the soil rather than create runoff to refill streams and aquifers. Soil moisture has remained below average across the state for at least the past 15 years, National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O’Malley said at an Arizona Drought Monitoring Technical Committee meeting Wednesday morning. “I don’t see that changing at all this year,” he said. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Arizona’s water director wants to nix ‘non-functional’ grass, and for good reason
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “How much grass in metro Phoenix is too much? The answer is changing, and it’s important to understand why, considering that most residential water in metro Phoenix is used outdoors — largely, on grass. Even a few years ago, the playing field was heavily tilted against nixing turf. The water savings won’t change the trajectory on the Colorado River, cities argued then. And grass provides important cooling benefits, particularly in the summer. Plus, they said, homeowners have already removed a bunch of grass voluntarily. There’s no reason to mandate it. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
In national water news today …
Thousands of US water systems show dangerous levels of cancer-causing chemicals
“Millions of people across the United States could be drinking water contaminated with dangerous levels of substances created when utilities disinfect water tainted with animal manure and other pollutants, according to a report released Thursday. An analysis of testing results from community water systems in 49 states found that nearly 6,000 such systems serving 122 million people recorded an unsafe level of chemicals known as trihalomethanes at least once during testing from 2019 to 2023. The chemicals are byproducts created when chlorine or other disinfectants used by water systems interact with organic matter, such as decaying leaves, vegetation, human or animal waste and other substances. One or more of these chemicals – chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform – have been linked to various human health risks, including cancers. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a maximum allowable annual average level of 80 parts per billion (ppb) for what the agency calls “total trihalomethanes” or TTHMs. The rule, which applies to public water systems, has been in place for more than two decades. … ” Read more from The New Lede.
Securing America’s water future
“Water is an essential public infrastructure that underpins a healthy community and economic resilience. Access to clean, safe water isn’t just a convenience — it’s a fundamental human right. Yet, across the U.S., that right is increasingly under threat. For many Americans, the simple act of turning on the faucet is an everyday expectation. But the reality is that for millions — whether in urban Detroit, rural Arkansas, drought-plagued California or points in between — many continue to face challenges in securing safe, affordable water. Each year, tens of millions of people in the U.S. are exposed to unsafe drinking water — including over 1 million who become ill from microbial contamination, 97 million exposed to unregulated chemicals, over 250 million to detectable levels of lead, and as many as 105 million exposed to PFAS, or “forever chemicals” — posing serious risks to public health. The nation’s aging water infrastructure tells a complicated story — plagued by contamination, rising costs and deep-seated inequities. … ” Read more from Politico Magazine.
Lawmakers fear AI data centers will drive up residents’ power bills
“For the first time in decades, America needs to produce more electricity. In many places, a sharp uptick in power demand has been driven by data centers, the industrial buildings that house huge banks of computer servers and support our increasingly digital society. State lawmakers have long sought to attract such operations with generous tax breaks and incentives. But now, some are concerned that the infrastructure needed to add all those data centers to the electric grid will drive up residents’ utility bills. The growing use of artificial intelligence, which requires massive amounts of computing power, has added to that worry. “We’re going to have tremendous stress from AI,” said New Jersey state Sen. Bob Smith, a Democrat who chairs the Environment and Energy Committee. “We have a crisis coming our way in electric rates. These outrageous increases are going to be put on the citizens. Why should they bear the rate increases?” … ” Read more from Stateline.
New Ocean Conservancy research charts immediate path towards climate-resilient fisheries
“A new study from Ocean Conservancy scientists and policy experts published today in Frontiers in Marine Science outlines immediate solutions to help protect fishing communities from the growing threats of climate change. The research found that management actions can be taken now, using existing legal authorities and already-available data and techniques, to improve the resilience of fish populations and fishing communities to the growing impacts of climate change. In this assessment of approaches, the study found nearly half of these could be taken in the next one to two years, and all of them could be taken within existing regulatory framework. The study comes on the heels of an increasing number of fishery disasters caused by climate change, as well as historic cuts to America’s key agency for the science and management of marine fisheries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). … ” Read more from the Ocean Conservancy.
Trump moves to hobble major US climate change study
“The Trump administration is canceling funding for the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the entity that produces the federal government’s signature climate change study, according to three federal officials familiar with the move. The move, which had been widely expected, is a potentially fatal blow to the National Climate Assessment, the study that Congress mandated under the Global Change Research Act of 1990 be issued every four years to ensure the government understands the threats that rising temperatures pose and what is driving climate changes. The report is the U.S. government’s most comprehensive look at climate change and serves as a crucial guide to state and community efforts to prepare for the effects. The officials said NASA has canceled the contract with consulting firm ICF International, which coordinates the U.S. Global Change Research Program and the 13 federal agencies that write the National Climate Assessment. … ” Read more from Politico.
‘Deep Change Theory’ could pull us out of a global climate and pollution crisis, scientists say
“A team of international researchers published a new U.N. report Wednesday that adds to the rising scientific call for transformative societal and economic changes to staunch critical environmental threats like global warming, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. “We are still headed towards catastrophe,” said lead author Caitlyn Eberle, an associate researcher at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security, in Bonn, Germany. “This year, we wanted to understand why we are not changing course. Few people would argue for more waste in the environment, more destroyed ecosystems or more inequality.” But those are the trends right now, she added in an online press briefing about the report during which the authors said they examined why humanity is still stumbling down a dangerous path after decades of warnings backed by convincing research. “The science is clear on what needs to change,” she said. “Stop using fossil fuels, respect and protect nature, use resources sustainably. So if we know what we need to do to change things, why aren’t we doing it?” … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
