State of California Sea Level Rise Guidance 2024 SCIENCE & POLICY UPDATE
Publication Date
2024
Publisher
STATE OF CALIFORNIA SEA LEVEL RISE GUIDANCE
Abstract
THIS REPORT WAS PRODUCED by the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC), in partnership with the California Ocean Science Trust (OST) and a scientific Task Force (Task Force). This report updates and replaces the previous 2018 ‘State of California SeaLevel Rise Guidance’ and marks the fourth iteration of statewide guidance since 2010 for state and local decision-makers to incorporate best available science on sea level rise into planning, design, permitting, investments, and other decisions. To support sciencebased decision-making, this report consists of syntheses of the best available science on sea level rise and other coastal hazards (e.g., flooding and erosion) with pragmatic and practical approaches for using this new scientific information (Chapters 2.0 and 3.0), primarily led and authored by the Task Force, as well as specific policy recommendations for incorporating this information into decision-making (Chapter 4.0), led and authored by OPC. To ensure this report meets the diversity of needs and interests for sea level rise decision-making and planning across California, state and local decision-makers, California Native American tribes, planners, and other practitioners were consulted throughout to provide input and feedback into the process and content of this report. An external scientific panel of peer reviewers provided critical review of the sea level rise science synthesis. To keep pace with future advancements in scientific understanding of sea level rise, OPC will continue to uphold its commitment to update this statewide guidance approximately every five years.