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Water, energy and climate in California are closely linked. Nearly 20 percent of the state’s electricity currently goes to the water sector, and climate change is already impacting the availability and timing of water resources. Reducing the energy costs of water production, including through conserving electricity and increasing water efficiency, will become increasingly important as California faces the reality of climate change and prolonged drought. Meet 12 people who are among the top experts that Water Deeply’s editors, reporters and contributors look to when it comes to this crucial issue.

Coming off the heels of a historically hot summer, California citizens may be in for a bit of a reprieve for this year’s winter, and if meteorologists are correct in their predictions, perhaps a positive impact on the drought as well.The Climate Prediction Center (CPC), a subsect of the National Weather Service, has released a monthly forecast which predicts that La Niña is no longer likely to occur. According to Reuters, last month the CPC stated that La Niña conditions were favored to occur with a 55-60 percent chance of developing during the upcoming fall and winter.

When Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 32 into law on Thursday, he said of the sweeping climate change bill, “This is big, and I hope it sends a message across the country.” Q: So what, exactly, does it do? A: SB 32 comes a decade after California’s landmark Assembly Bill 32, which required the California Air Resources Board to reduce statewide emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2020. The legislation Brown signed Wednesday expands on that mandate, requiring California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.