Tag Archive for: Climate Change

Climate Change Identified as Main Driver of Worsening Drought in the Western United States

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

Humanity’s heating of the planet, driven by the burning of fossil fuels and unchecked emissions of greenhouse gases, has become the main driver of worsening droughts in California and the American West, according to new research.

A team of UCLA and NOAA scientists found that while droughts in the last century were caused mainly by decreases in precipitation through natural cycles, an entirely different pattern has taken hold as a result of the rising temperatures this century.

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California Voters To Take Up Climate Change With Proposition 4

/in , /by /KQEDby Keith Mizuguchi

Among the many questions on your California ballot this November is whether to approve a $10 billion state bond to invest in climate adaptation. Proposition 4 is one of the largest bonds on the ballot in the country this year.

The money in the bond will be used to make communities more resilient against climate change.

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Sweetwater Authority hosted a group of students and faculty from Stanford University for a tour and discussion of issues related to climate change and water in California. Photo: Sweetwater Authority

Sweetwater Authority Hosts Stanford University Students and Faculty

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Sweetwater Authority (Authority) recently welcomed fifteen students and faculty from Stanford University’s The Bill Lane Center for the American West. Group members are part of the university’s multidisciplinary course of study on “Coastal Resilience: Problems and Solutions to Extreme Weather Challenges on the West Coast.”

The Bill Lane Center for the American West is dedicated to advancing scholarly and public understanding of the past, present, and future of western North America. The Center supports research, teaching, and reporting about Western land and life in the United States.

The Stanford University group visited the Robert A. Perdue Water Treatment Plant and Sweetwater Reservoir, as well as the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility in Chula Vista. Photo: Sweetwater Authority

The Stanford University group visited the Robert A. Perdue Water Treatment Plant and Sweetwater Reservoir, as well as the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility in Chula Vista. Photo: Sweetwater Authority

The students and faculty first toured the Robert A. Perdue Water Treatment Plant and Sweetwater Reservoir, where they learned how the Authority secures and treats local water, maintains a historic dam, and manages watershed activities for the beneficial use of agency operations and the protection of environmental resources.

The group then visited the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility in Chula Vista. There, the students and Authority representatives discussed challenges facing groundwater supplies due to climate change before touring the award-winning facility.

Collaboration Addresses Challenges of Climate Change

“It was our honor to host the Stanford group and engage in these important discussions with the next generation of leaders," said Board Chair Paulina Martinez-Perez. Photo: Sweetwater Authority

“It was our honor to host the Stanford group and engage in these important discussions with the next generation of leaders,” said Board Chair Paulina Martinez-Perez. Photo: Sweetwater Authority

“The challenges presented by climate change as it relates to providing a sustainable and drought-proof water supply are great, and we need the brightest minds working to ensure long-term resilience for the western region,” said Authority Board Chair Paulina Martinez-Perez.

In its vision to become a leader in sustainability and the fight against climate change, the Authority’s Governing Board sets objectives within the agency’s Strategic Plan to work toward achieving carbon neutrality.

Current fiscal year objectives include implementing a Green Fleet Plan, installing EV stations at its facilities, and exploring green energy solutions like a proposed floating solar project at Sweetwater Reservoir to reduce costs and offset carbon generated as part of water agency operations. For more information, visit www.sweetwater.org/workplan.

 

OPINION: Yes on Proposition 4 Now or Pay More Later

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Laura Engeman and Christopher Anthony

Changing climate conditions are affecting our health, lives and economy. Just consider what San Diegans endured over the last year.

In recent weeks, a prolonged heat wave kept temperatures in the three-digit range, toxic smoke migrating from wildfires up north prompted air quality alerts, and area hillsides thick with dry brush caught fire. In January, nearly 1,200 people were displaced from flooding after 150 billion gallons of rain fell in six hours.

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‘Biggest Environmental Victory’: After More than a Decade in Limbo, San Diego County has a New Climate Plan

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Emily Alvarenga

After more than a decade of challenges, local environmental groups are rejoicing after the Board of Supervisors approved a new climate action plan this week that they say will keep the county accountable in slashing emissions.

The climate plan passed Wednesday along party lines will be used as a blueprint for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at county facilities and in unincorporated areas to reach net-zero emissions by 2045.

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San Diego Farmers Tackle Climate Change Challenges

/in , /by /KPBS by Jade Hindmon, Julianna Domingo, Brooke Ruth, Leslie Gonzalez

San Diego County is home to more than 214,000 acres of agricultural land. Avocados, lemons, oranges and a variety of vegetables are grown in the county.

This week, during NPR’s Climate Solutions Week, we look at how San Diego County farmers are adapting to climate change with local growers Daniel and Paula Coxe, who grow avocados in Fallbrook, along with Amy Quandt, a San Diego State University professor who has surveyed farmers on the subject.

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California Farmers Turn to Agave Amid Drought Conditions and Climate Change

/in , /by /NPRby Manola Secaira

Most of the United States’ fruits and nuts, like avocados and almonds, come from California. But scientists say human-caused climate change means more extreme heat and intensifying periods of drought for the state. That has led some farmers to seek out less-thirsty crops — like agave.

The succulent has long been grown in Mexico and is the key ingredient in making tequila and mezcal. Agave, though, as a crop is a new idea for the United States. In California, it’s more often seen as part of decorative landscaping.

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Hillside Erosion Worsening in California Due to Wildfires and Intense Rain

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Grace Toohey

Over the last three decades, California has seen increasing erosion after major wildfires — a phenomenon that not only endangers water resources and ecosystems, but is also likely to worsen with climate change, according to researchers.

A new study from the U.S. Geological Survey documented a tenfold increase in post-fire hillside erosion in Northern California from the late 1980s to the 2010s, with the majority of the largest sediment-producing fires occurring in the last decade.

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Boiling Point: Tech Companies Clam Up About AI’s Climate Costs

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

Artificial intelligence technology is guzzling water and energy in California and around the globe, yet most tech companies have not been forthcoming about the actual environmental costs of their applications, my colleague Melody Petersen reports.

That’s a huge problem, as their energy and water consumption will undoubtedly strain supplies and drive up demand for climate-warming oil, gas and coal — all while leaving users in the dark about their true contributions.

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July was California’s Hottest Month Ever, as Climate Warms to Dangerous New Extremes

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Grace Toohey

The month of July kicked off with a dire warning: A rare, long-duration heat event was forecast to bring extreme heat risk across the West, with triple-digit temperatures and dangerous fire conditions expected in much of California for days on end.

That outlook quickly proved accurate — and would end up defining almost the entire month in the Golden State, which would see little relief from unrelenting heat.

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