Download Climate change means days are getting longer: Harvard University

Northwest Climate Science Digest: Science and Learning Opportunities Combined
January 2016 Issue
The Northwest Climate Science Digest is a monthly newsletter jointly produced by the Northwest
Climate Science Center and the North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative aimed at helping
you stay informed about climate change science and upcoming events and training opportunities
relevant to your conservation work. Feel free to share this information within your organization and
networks, and please note the role the NW CSC and NPLCC played in providing this service. Do
you have a published article or upcoming opportunity that you would like to share? Please send it
our way to [email protected]. Many thanks to those who have provided material for this edition,
particularly the Pacific Northwest Climate Impacts Research Consortium, the Climate Impacts
Group and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Change and Water News. The contents
of the Climate Digest are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the
views of the NPLCC or the Northwest Climate Science Center.
Subscribe to the NW CSC’s e-mail update list to receive periodic updates on Northwest climaterelated information.
Note: In the interest of reducing clutter to your inbox we have combined science content with
events and learning opportunities. Please use our hyperlinks to minimize scrolling.
To subscribe or unsubscribe please e-mail [email protected].
SCIENCE: Recent climate change-relevant publications, special reports and science resources.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Upcoming climate change-relevant webinars, workshops, conferences, list
servers and other learning opportunities.
PREVIOUS ISSUES: An archive of previous Northwest Climate Change Digest issues developed
by Region 1 of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Biodiversity/ Species and Ecosystem Response
Warm-water years are tough on juvenile salmon
The Messengers: what birds tell us about climate change
Coastal/Marine Ecosystems/ Ocean Acidification/ Sea Level Rise
El Niño: Beyond the Hype
Fish stocks are struggling to rebound
Coastal marshes more resilient to sea-level rise than previously believed
Climate change means days are getting longer
Aquatic Resources/ Stream Flow/ Hydrology in the Western U.S.
Representing climate change stresses on groundwater using the GRACE satellite
Effects of bark beetle-induced tree mortality on streamflow
Regional trends in snowfall frequency in the contiguous United States
Land Use
Maps of Landforms and Physiographic Diversity for Climate Adaptation Planning
Forests
Carbon Balance and Forest Disturbance in the West Cascades
Tree mortality from drought, insects, and their interactions in a changing climate
Fire
Homeowners and wildfire risk: climate change beliefs and hazard mitigation behaviors
Restoring fire-prone Inland Pacific landscapes
How Fire, Once a Friend of Forests, Became a Destroyer
Fighting wildfire in Idaho starts at home
Tribal and Indigenous Peoples Matters
Salvage logging on burned Colville Indian Reservation
Taking Action
Paris climate deal: key points at a glance
Cities leading the world on climate action
Climate and Weather Reports and Services
Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in the Blue Mountains Region
Analysis of Western Water and Drought Legislation
Special Reports/ Announcements
Nisqually Refuge to be renamed for activist Billy Frank Jr.
Statewide salmon projects get $44M
------------------------Biodiversity/ Species and Ecosystem Response
Warm-water years are tough on juvenile salmon: A recently published study conducted by
researchers from Oregon State University and NOAA examines the effect of water temperature on
Chinook salmon foraging habits and overall health. The study evaluated 19 years (1981-1985, 19982011) of juvenile salmon surveys and discovered that when water is warmer than average, young
salmon consume 30 percent more food than during cold-water regimes. Despite this higher
consumption, the salmon studied under warm water conditions were found to be smaller and
skinnier. This is likely due to the fact that warmer water requires salmon to eat more in order to keep
their metabolic rate up, which causes them to work harder for food. In addition, the food is less
nutritious due to the lack of lipid-rich prey available during warm water conditions. Warmer water
conditions have been occurring in the waters off the Pacific Northwest for the past two years due to
“The Blob”. The researchers of this study conclude by stressing that as warm water persists, the
ability for young salmon to find enough food will drastically decline.
Daly, E.A. and Brodeur, R.D. 2015. Warming Ocean Conditions Relate to Increased Trophic
Requirements of Threatened and Endangered Salmon. PloS one, 10(12).
OSU article:
http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2015/dec/osunoaa-study-warm-water-years-are-toughjuvenile-salmon
For full paper:
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0144066
The Messengers: What birds tell us about climate change
“The Messengers: What birds tell us about threats from climate change and solutions for nature and
people” is a newly released global synthesis of peer-reviewed studies relating our knowledge of
current threats to bird populations to the global projected impacts of climate change. In addition,
the assessment contains a collection of nature-based solutions, including those led by BirdLife
International Partners around the world. The solutions are examples of the kind of ecosystemsbased adaptation and mitigation necessary to curtail the threat of climate change.
http://climatechange.birdlife.org/
Coastal/Marine Ecosystems/ Ocean Acidification/ Sea Level Rise
El Niño: Beyond the Hype: According to an article in Bay Nature Magazine, the arrival of this year’s
El Niño was different from past El Niño years, in part because the Pacific Ocean was already
extraordinarily warm from the “Blob” before the warm tropical El Niño water had even arrived.
This article discusses what this unusual combination of phenomena will mean for the coast of the
Western United States. Ecological changes associated with the arrival of abnormally warm water
have been recorded at nearly every trophic level. From large changes in plankton composition with
the arrival of tropical plankton species to northern waters, to the appearance of thousands of pelagic
red crab that haven’t been seen in Northern California since the strong El Niño in 1983. NOAA
ecologist John Field is calling these bizarre observations “El Niño harbingers”. Field’s NOAA
survey has also documented changes in fish abundance, such as higher numbers of young rockfish
and market squid and lower numbers of sardines and anchovies. The impact that these changes on
lower trophic levels will have on higher trophic levels has been observed to be more complicated
than anticipated. For example, seabirds such as Cassin’s auklets and common murres had two failed
nesting seasons in a row around Santa Cruz but a successful nesting season at the Farallones. Point
Blue Conservation Science marine ecologist Jaime Jahncke notes that even in a warm year there are
some refuge areas that stay relatively cold, where the food web can continue normally. He relates
this to the “Blob” and El Niño-driven hot water leaving pockets of cool water in a few places off
the coast of Northern California.
https://baynature.org/articles/warm-el-nino-water-meets-a-north-pacific-already-disrupted-by-theblob/
Fish stocks are struggling to rebound: Recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, a new analysis finds that the ability of fish populations to reproduce and replenish
themselves is declining across the globe. Gregory L. Britten, a doctoral student at the University of
California, Irvine, and fellow researchers looked at data from a global database of 262 commercial
fish stocks in dozens of large marine ecosystems across the globe. They say they've identified a
pattern of decline in juvenile fish (young fish that have not yet reached reproductive age) that is
closely tied to a decline in the amount of phytoplankton, or microalgae, in the water. While the
aggregated data show global decline, the results varied when the researchers looked at plankton and
fish reproduction declines in individual ecosystems. In the North Pacific, for example, there were no
significant declines. But in other regions of the world, like Australia and South America, it was clear
that the lack of phytoplankton was the strongest driver in diminishing fish populations.
Britten, G.L., Dowd, M. and Worm, B., 2015. Changing recruitment capacity in global fish stocks.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(1), pp.134-139. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1504709112
NPR article:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/14/459404745/fish-stocks-are-decliningworldwide-and-climate-change-is-on-the-hook
For full paper:
http://www.pnas.org/content/113/1/134
Coastal marshes more resilient to sea-level rise than previously believed: Accelerating rates of
sea-level rise linked to climate change pose a major threat to coastal marshes and the vital carbon
capturing they perform. But a new Duke University study finds marshes may be more resilient than
previously believed. Elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 boost plant biomass production, allowing
marshes to trap more sediment and generate more organic soil. This may elevate the threshold rate
of relative sea-level rise at which marsh drowning is initiated by up to 60 percent. This natural
process may also contribute to a stabilizing feedback in the climate system as increased biomass
production and organic deposition in marshes lead to increased carbon dioxide sequestration.
However, the ultimate health of coastal marshes will be determined by inorganic sedimentation that
is at risk due to damming and agricultural practices that continue to hurt the ability of marshes to
build themselves up and protect against sea level rise.
Ratliff, K.M., Braswell, A.E. and Marani, M., 2015. Spatial response of coastal marshes to increased
atmospheric CO2. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(51), pp.15580-15584.
Science Daily article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151218084337.htm
For full paper:
http://www.pnas.org/content/112/51/15580.full.pdf
Climate change means days are getting longer: Harvard University researchers have published a
new study in Science Advances that provides an answer to a long-held scientific puzzle of how
shrinking glaciers are affecting the earth’s rotation and axis. A 2002 paper written by oceanographer
Walter Munk attempted to solve this puzzle, but concluded that, even with average sea level rises of
2mm a year, there would be no change to Earth’s rotation or axis. Now coined “Munk’s enigma”,
Jerry Mitrovica and fellow Harvard scientists revisited this 2002 research. Using the latest climate
science knowledge, they applied updated models and assumptions to Munk’s study and found that
the glacier melting of the 20th century had indeed caused the Earth to slow and wobble. The study
found that the period of a day is now a millisecond longer than it was a century ago. Changes to
Earth’s axis and rotation is set to become more pronounced with the global average sea level rise
now over 3mm, according to the IPCC.
Mitrovica, J.X., Hay, C.C., Morrow, E., Kopp, R.E., Dumberry, M. and Stanley, S., 2015.
Reconciling past changes in Earth’s rotation with 20th century global sea-level rise: Resolving
Munk’s enigma. Science Advances,1(11), p.e1500679.
The Guardian article:
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/dec/11/climate-change-longer-days-glaciers-northsouth-pole
For full paper:
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/11/e1500679
Aquatic Resource/ Stream Flow/ Hydrology in the Western U.S.
Representing climate change stresses on groundwater using the GRACE satellite: The
combined effects of population growth and climate change result in increasing stresses on global
freshwater availability. Groundwater comprises about 30% of global freshwater, and much of the
remaining freshwater is contained in glaciers and is thus inaccessible as a water source. As the
incidence of drought globally increases, groundwater is being increasingly relied on as a more
resilient source of water. However, climate change is simultaneously altering the spatial and temporal
distribution of groundwater availability. Richey et al (2015) draws on data from the GRACE satellite
to assess groundwater stress globally and to quantify the relationship between groundwater use and
availability in 37 aquifer systems around the world. They use a metric called the Renewable
Groundwater Stress ratio, which is the ratio of groundwater use to availability. The authors compare
data from the GRACE satellite to nationally reported groundwater withdrawal statistics and classify
aquifers using four stress regimes: overstressed, variable stress, human-dominated stress and
unstressed. Although many aquifers experience severe stresses, land use changes determine the
extent to which aquifers are able to adapt to stressed conditions. Data from the GRACE satellite,
rather than nationally reported statistics, provide a better representation of the range of stressed
conditions that may occur due to climate change and demographic growth.
Richey, A.S., Thomas B.F., Lo, M.-H., Reager J.T., Famiglietti J.S., Voss K., Swenson S., and Rodell
M. 2015. Quantifying renewable groundwater stress with GRACE. Water Resources Research 51, pp.
5217-5238. doi: 10.1002/2015WR017349
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015WR017349/abstract
Effects of bark beetle-induced tree mortality on streamflow: Extensive research has been
conducted on the impacts of bark beetles on trees in the Western US. Bark beetle epidemics have
led to widespread tree mortality in many areas. Although this was expected to result in increased
streamflow, observations have not shown this to be the case. In this study, the authors explored the
response of streamflow in eight catchments that had been affected by bark beetles and experienced
large tree die-offs. They compared streamflow in affected catchments with control catchments for
the decade following the die-offs and conducted a separate trend analysis using climate-driven linear
models. They found no change in streamflow in the majority of catchments, excluding one
catchment that showed a consistent decreasing signal in streamflow. Although this was a somewhat
surprising result, it is likely a result of increases in transpiration as well as differences in snow
interception due to a decrease of forest canopy. In the absence of a thick forest canopy, snow can
sublimate more easily and evaporation can occur more readily, which likely reduced streamflow,
resulting in little to no changes in streamflow before and after the tree die-offs.
Biederman J.A., Somor A.J., Harpold A.A., Gutmann E.D., Breshears D.D., Troch P.A., Gochis
D.J., Scott R.L., Meddens A.J.H., Brooks P.D. 2015. Recent tree die-off has little effect on
streamflow in contrast to expected increases from historical studies. Water Resources Research 51, doi:
10.1002/2015WR017401
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015WR017401/abstract
Regional trends in snowfall frequency in the contiguous United States: In this new study, the
authors explore changes in regional variations of snowfall in the United States from 1930-2007. The
authors draw on a subset of 440 stations from the US Historical Climatology Network for snowfall
data and use statistical techniques to cluster similar stations together based on the main modes of
variation in snowfall frequency. They find seven unique snowfall regions that correlate with storm
tracks across the US. These regions include the southeast, south central plains and southwest, the
Ohio River Valley and mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, and three subregions in the Upper
Midwest. The Pacific Northwest is experiencing statistically significant declines in greater than
median snowfall frequencies, as well as statistically significant decreasing trends in the 75th and 90th
quantiles of snowfall frequency. Snowfall frequency in the Pacific Northwest is strongly correlated
with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, the Pacific North American Oscillation and El Nino. They also
observe a strong negative correlation with Northern Hemispheric annual temperature. The authors
imply that the statistically significant differences observed in snowfall frequency in the Pacific
Northwest are due to some combination of warmer temperatures and differences in PDO, El Nino
and PNA patterns.
Kluver, D. and Leathers D. 2015. Regionalization of snowfall frequency and trends over the
contiguous United States. International Journal of Climatology 35: pp. 4348-4358. doi: 10.1002/joc.4292
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/joc.4292/abstract
Land Use
Maps of Landforms and Physiographic Diversity for Climate Adaptation Planning: A
recently published study creates a new high-resolution map of landforms for the conterminous
United States to be used as a tool for current climate change adaptation strategies. By combining
landforms and lithology at multiple spatial scales, Theobald et al (2015) developed new databases for
15 landforms and 269 physical geographic classifications. The group applied the new map to a
current adaptation framework and reviewed its usefulness as a strategy tool. The authors found that
the databases could play key roles in four of seven general adaptation strategies, and illustrate its use
to inform current climate change adaptation efforts. The study concludes that this analytical
framework of landform and lithology classification can be extended to other geographic areas and
used as a supportive tool for climate change adaptation beyond the conterminous United States.
Theobald DM, Harrison-Atlas D, Monahan WB, Albano CM (2015) Ecologically-Relevant Maps of
Landforms and Physiographic Diversity for Climate Adaptation Planning. PLoS ONE 10(12):
e0143619. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0143619
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0143619
Forests
Carbon Balance and Forest Disturbance in the West Cascades: A new study from Oregon
State University examines carbon cycle impacts of harvesting, fire, and pest/pathogen disturbances
on forests of the Western Cascades. Using a time series of Landsat remote sensing images and a
climate-driven carbon cycle process model, the group quantified carbon flux attribution at the
regional scale. The study found that 13% of total forest area in the Western Cascades ecoregion was
disturbed during the reference interval (1991-2010). The authors found that harvesting was the main
disturbance factor (59% of all area disturbed), and fire and pest/pathogen mortality had smaller
effects (23% and 18%). Quantifying whether the Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) was positive or
negative denoted either a carbon sink or carbon source. The study finds a positive NEP in all years,
with greater carbon uptake in relatively cool years. Areas with recent harvests and fire were
associated with negative NEP. The study concludes that the Western Cascades has maintained a
positive carbon balance in recent decades, despite recurrent disturbance. The simulations used by
this study display a high degree of temporal and spatial resolution, refining our understanding of
regional carbon sources and sinks.
Turner, D.P., Ritts, W.D., Kennedy, R.E., Gray, A.N. and Yang, Z. 2015. Effects of harvest, fire,
and pest/pathogen disturbances on the West Cascades ecoregion carbon balance. Carbon Balance and
Management, 10(1), p.12.
Climate CIRCulator article:
http://pnwcirc.org/carbon-balance-and-forest-disturbance-in-the-west-cascades/
For full paper:
http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/188/art%253A10.1186%252Fs13021-015-00229.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fcbmjournal.springeropen.com%2Farticle%2F10.1186%2Fs1302
1-015-00229&token2=exp=1451763813~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F188%2Fart%25253A10.1186%25252Fs13
021-015-00229.pdf*~hmac=57c389331e415cc0e848651db08164ef0bb01e112b4743385c6bd23385b75f5a
Tree mortality from drought, insects, and their interactions in a changing climate: Drought,
heat stress, and insect attacks are all agents of tree mortality that are projected to increase with
climate change. Yet, climate-induced tree mortality and the factors causing disturbance are largely
absent from process-based ecosystem models. Using data sets from the western U.S. and associated
studies, Anderegg et al (2015) present a framework for determining the relative contribution of
drought stress, insect attack, and their interactions, which is critical for modeling mortality in future
climates. The study outlines an approach that identifies the mechanisms associated with two guilds
of insects – bark beetles and defoliators – which are responsible for substantial tree mortality. They
then discuss cross-biome patterns of insect-driven tree mortality and draw upon available evidence
contrasting the prevalence of insect outbreaks in temperate and tropical regions. The study
concludes that a multitrophic approach that captures tree physiology, insect populations, and tree–
insect interactions will better inform projections of forest ecosystem responses to climate change.
Anderegg, W.R., Hicke, J.A., Fisher, R.A., Allen, C.D., Aukema, J., Bentz, B., Hood, S., Lichstein,
J.W., Macalady, A.K., McDowell, N. and Pan, Y., 2015. Tree mortality from drought, insects, and
their interactions in a changing climate. New Phytologist, 208(3), pp.674-683.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/nph.13477/full
Fire
Homeowners and wildfire risk: climate change beliefs and hazard mitigation behaviors:
University of Colorado scientists surveyed people experiencing exacerbated hazards due to climate
change and assessed their understanding and response to climate-related changes to these local
hazards. This new study examined the relationships among climate change beliefs, environmental
beliefs, and hazard mitigation actions in the context of wildfire, a natural hazard projected to be
intensified by climate change. The study found that survey respondents were situated across a
continuum between being ‘believers’ and ‘deniers’ that is multidimensional. Placement on this
believer–denier spectrum was related to general environmental attitudes. However, no relationship
was found between climate change beliefs and wildfire risk-reduction actions in general. In contrast,
the study found a statistically significant positive relationship between level of wildfire risk
mitigation and being a climate denier. Further, certain pro-environmental attitudes were found to
have a statistically significant negative association with the level of wildfire risk mitigation.
Brenkert-Smith, H., Meldrum, J. R., & Champ, P. A. 2015. Climate change beliefs and hazard
mitigation behaviors: homeowners and wildfire risk. Environmental Hazards, 14(4), 341-360. DOI:
10.1080/17477891.2015.1080656
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17477891.2015.1080656
Restoring fire-prone Inland Pacific landscapes: A new study provides a framework for
landscape restoration and discusses its implication for land management. Scientists identified key
characteristics of historical forests and applied them to present land management efforts. The study
found that historical forests were spatially heterogeneous at multiple scales. Heterogeneity was the
result of variability and interactions among native ecological patterns and processes, including
processes regulated by climatic and topographic drivers. Native flora and fauna were adapted to
these conditions, giving them resilience to climate variability and recurrent contagious disturbances.
The authors conclude by outlining how such resilience can be restored to our current landscapes.
They stress the need for planning and management on multiple scales, as well as the need for active
thinking about landscapes as socio-ecological systems that provide services to people. The study
focuses attention on landscape-level prescriptions as foundational to restoration planning and
execution.
Hessburg, P.F., Churchill, D.J., Larson, A.J., Haugo, R.D., Miller, C., Spies, T.A., North, M.P.,
Povak, N.A., Belote, R.T., Singleton, P.H. and Gaines, W.L. 2015. Restoring fire-prone Inland
Pacific landscapes: seven core principles. Landscape Ecology, 30(10), pp.1-31.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10980-015-0218-0
How Fire, Once a Friend of Forests, Became a Destroyer: In his new book Between Two Fires,
Historian Stephen Pyne examines the roots of the U.S. wildfire crisis. He finds that while the Forest
Service and other agencies have long recognized that frequent, relatively small fires can reduce the
risk of large, catastrophic burns, they have been unable to restore a natural cycle of fire to the forest.
National Geographic interviews Pyne in light of his new book. The interview discusses a range of
topics such as historical U.S. forest policy analysis, the individuals and organizations who played
major roles in progressing forest management, as well as Pyne’s view of how to achieve a safer and
more ecologically sound future with forest fire.
National Geographic Interview with Stephen Pyne
Fighting wildfire in Idaho starts at home: A recent article in the Idaho Statesman connects
Stephen Pyne’s work to the issues faced by homeowners in fire-prone areas of Idaho. In 2015,
740,000 acres of land in Idaho was burned by wildfire. Many of these wildfire complexes began as
fires on private land and burned in a zone where fire is not managed by federal agencies, but by the
state. Sam Bonovich, chief of the Clear Creek Fire Department, is working with a group of local
Idahoan officials, federal and state foresters, timber companies, environmentalists, bikers, skiers,
anglers and others on projects to thin and log the Idaho national forest around Robie Creek and
Bogus Basin. Called the Bogus Basin Project, they hope to reduce the load of forest fuels that can
power a conflagration. Consensus on the Bogus Basin project has been reached, and the U.S. Forest
Service hopes to have a plan out for public comment soon, which would be the next in a series of
steps to get the plan approved, funded and then into the forest. However, rather than waiting for
this process to play out, many in the state, including Bonovich, want the Idaho Legislature to
allocate funds for thinning and other fire-prevention projects, to go along with the millions of
dollars Idaho taxpayers will end up paying for fighting fires this season.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/environment/fires/article44971383.html?utm_source
=Northwest+Fire+Science+Consortium&utm_campaign=00c491079cBiweekly_Digest_12_01_1511_23_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e4796b140900c491079c-132425985
Tribal and Indigenous Peoples Matters
Salvage logging on burned Colville Indian Reservation: A recent article from The Seattle Times
describes one of the largest ever logging operations in Washington State that is underway after
massive fires on the Colville Indian Reservation destroyed much of their timber. Last year’s fires
burned more than 250,000 acres of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation land,
and this logging plan is an effort to salvage as much board feet from the burned area as possible. It’s
estimated that the tribe lost 802 million board feet that would have been worth $93 million. Though
ecologically controversial, salvage logging is the only choice the reservation has of regaining any of
that which was lost. By next summer, the tribe hopes to salvage 102 million board feet.
Economically, this is a race against time, as winter weather will eventually halt operations. Beyond
the tribe’s economic damage, the burned area has greatly affected the flora and fauna of the
reservation as well. With much of the territory destroyed, animals are crowding what green habitat is
left. This is causing abnormal wildlife behavior and has led the tribe to close its lands to subsistence
hunting in an effort to help restore animal populations.
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/massive-salvage-logging-under-way-at-colville-afterwildfires/
Taking Action
Paris climate deal: key points at a glance: This article from the guardian explains the key details
from the Paris climate deal. Governments walked away from the Paris climate deal agreeing to limit
global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. All countries have agreed to attain net zero
emissions between 2050 and 2100. Of those countries, 187 have put forth plans for how to
accomplish this. The deal also contains a mechanism that reviews countries’ progresses and makes a
“global stocktake” every five years. Another key point in the deal is a mechanism for addressing
financial losses that vulnerable countries face due to climate change, as well as funding to help
developing countries adapt and transition to clean energy.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/12/paris-climate-deal-key-points
Cities leading the world on climate action: The annual C40 awards were held on December 3rd,
2015, and cities around the world were honored for their efforts in fighting climate change. Included
in the final 33 cities was Portland, Oregon, which was recognized for its 2015 Climate Action Plan.
Because cities contain a massive percentage of the world’s population, climate action at the city scale
can have a major impact on global climate change. Additionally, cities can be influential testing
grounds for potential policies and technologies. For example, many of Portland’s renewable energy
projects have been applied to other cities like Johannesburg, Kansas City, and Cincinnati. While
dozens of cities were recognized at the 2015 C40 awards, four were selected as the global leaders on
climate action: Cape Town, South Africa; Vancouver, British Columbia; Washington D.C., U.S.A.;
and Stockholm, Sweden.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/12/04/3728168/cities-spotlight-paris-climate-changeconference/
Climate and Weather Reports and Services
Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in the Blue Mountains Region: A new report
from the Blue Mountains Adaptation Partnership (BMAP) identifies climate change issues relevant
to resource management in the Blue Mountains Region and offers solutions to help transition the
region into a warmer climate. The BMAP is a science-management partnership composed of
Malheur National Forest, Umatilla National Forest, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, the U.S.
Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station and Pacific Northwest Region, the University of
Washington, and the Climate Impacts Research Consortium at Oregon State University. This report
summarizes effects of climate change on the streamflow and snowpack of the Blue Mountains
Region, and projects the impact these changes will have on the region’s ecosystem.
Halofsky, J.E.; Peterson, D.L., eds. 2016. Climate change vulnerability and adaptation in the Blue
Mountains. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-xxx. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Xxx p.
For full report:
http://www.adaptationpartners.org/bmap/docs/BMAP_final.pdf
Analysis of Western Water and Drought Legislation: The Congressional Research Service has
released an analysis report of the latest legislation introduced to Congress addressing nationwide and
western-specific drought, as well as gaps in water supply and demand. The report discusses many of
the bills being considered including how they differ and what topics are being omitted from the
overall conversation. Of these bills, two have gained the most congressional and public attention:
the Western Water and American Food Security Act (H.R. 2898) and the California Emergency
Drought Relief Act of 2015 (S.1894). Both bills are primarily focused on water projects and
management during drought, but contain different approaches. Neither bill addresses the broad suite
of drought impacts and policies like effects on wildfire and agricultural assistance programs.
Questions of how to reconcile environmental protections with increased water demand, how to
allocate authority between federal and local involvement, and a list of other issues have been raised
by these proposed bills, and are all discussed in this report.
Pervaze A. Sheikh, Betsy A. Cody, Charles V. Stern, Nicole T. Carter, Linda Luther, Claudia
Copeland. 2015. Western Water and Drought: Legislative Analysis of H.R. 2898 and S. 1894.
Congressional Research Service. www.crs.gov.
For full report:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44316.pdf
Special Reports/Announcements
Nisqually Refuge to be renamed for activist Billy Frank Jr.: The U.S. Congress has approved
new legislation honoring Billy Frank Jr., a major civil rights activist from the Nisqually Reservation.
The bill will rename the Nisqually Refuge the Billy Frank Jr. National Nisqually Wildlife Refuge.
Also supported in the bill is a new memorial commemorating the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854, a
treaty concerning fishing rights to Indian tribes that Frank fought to enforce. Named the Billy Frank
Jr. Tell Your Story Act, the legislation was unanimously supported by the state’s congressional
delegation and backed by the National Congress of American Indians, the Affiliated Tribes of the
Northwest Indians and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/nisqually-refuge-to-be-named-in-honorof-activist-billy-frank-jr/
Statewide salmon projects get $44M: An announcement from the Washington Salmon Recovery
Funding Board and Puget Sound Partnership offers funding to 141 habitat restoration projects
around the state. Totaling $44.3 million, the restoration projects support salmon migration, from
removing existing barriers to rebuilding safer habitat. While the Washington Salmon Recovery
Funding Board reviewed projects, local tribes, governments, nonprofits, and citizen groups led the
selection process. The projects are projected to boost economic activity in the state. More
information can be found at www.rco.wa.gov.
https://www.djc.com/news/en/12084563.html
UPCOMING EVENTS
1/10-1/14 - Meeting, New Orleans, LA. 96th Annual American Meteorological Society Meeting
1/12, 10am – Webinar. Tribal Forest Protection Act Webinar
1/12, 12pm – Webinar/Speaker. The West Coast Climate Forum: Pushing the Boundaries on Climate,
Materials, and Sustainable Consumption
1/13, 11am – Webinar. Ranking watersheds for climate change resilience using historical snowpack
data
1/14, 11am – Webinar. Climate Change in America's National Parks: Pikas in Peril? A multi-park
climate change vulnerability assessment for the American pika
1/20-1/21 – Workshop, Seattle, WA. Pacific Anomalies Workshop
1/20, 10am-3pm – Meeting, Portland, OR. Blueprint for a Climate Resilient Landscape, Lower
Columbia & Outer Coast LCD project Core Team Meeting
1/20, 11am Webinar. Climate change adaptation—from concept to standard practice
2/2-2/4 – Symposium, Stevenson, WA. River Restoration Northwest, Annual River Restoration
Symposium
2/4, 12pm – Webinar. Department of Energy Minorities in Energy Regional Climate Change Impacts
Webinars
2/10, 11am – Webinar. Completing the loop: Combining occupancy modeling, crowd-sourcing, and
eDNA sampling to inventory bull trout across their U.S. range
2/22 - Workshop, Vancouver, BC. Hazard Change caused by Climate Change Workshop
3/8-3/10 – Conference, Snoqualmie, WA. 2016 Tribal Green Summit
3/22-3/24 - Workshop, Burlington, VT. 14th Annual Climate Prediction Applications Science
Workshop
List Servers

BioClimate News & Events from NCCWSC & the CSCs

ClimateNews-- is a snapshot from British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural
Resource Operations, provides new and emerging climate change adaptation and mitigation
activities in the natural resource sector. Contact: [email protected]

Climate CIRCulator (Oregon Climate Change Research Institute)

Climate Impacts Group (Univ. Washington)

Earth to Sky Newsletter (NASA/DOI Partnership): [email protected]

EPA Climate Change and Water E-Newsletter

FRESC monthly e-newsletter: Contact [email protected]

FWS CC Monthly E-Newsletter: Contact [email protected]

LCC list servers (see your LCC’s website) and the national LCC Network newsletter

Ocean Acidification Report

OneNOAA Science Webinars

NASA's Climate Change Newsletter [email protected]

North Pacific LCC Listserve – North Pacific Tidings - important news and announcements;
and NPLCC Climate Science Digest - new science/information affecting natural and cultural
resources.

NCTC Climate Change List server (upcoming webinars and courses): contact
[email protected]

Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) (British Columbia) Climate News Scan- a
weekly summary of the major climate-change related science, technology, and policy
advances of direct relevance to the BC provincial and the Canadian federal governments and
more generally to businesses and civil society

PointBlue Weekly Ecology, Climate Change and Related e-Newsletter: Contact
[email protected]

PNW Tribal Climate Change Network: Contact [email protected]

US Forest Service Fish & Wildlife Research Updates

USGS Climate Matters

White House Energy and Environment Updates