Imperial Valley News

Sacramento, California - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement today on the release of the Climate Action Team (CAT) Draft Biennial Report. The report suggests that without action, severe and costly climate change impacts are possible across California, especially to the state’s vulnerable water supplies:

“Today’s new research reveals that California’s severe drought conditions are only a preview of what is likely to come because of our changing climate,” Governor Schwarzenegger said.  “California’s drought has already had devastating effects on our people, our communities, our economy, our agriculture and our environment. We have been aggressively working to not only fight climate change but adapt to it, which is why we must upgrade California’s water infrastructure to ensure a clean and reliable water supply. The actions we are taking will reduce the devastating impacts of climate change on future generations.”

The CAT report, now available for public comment, synthesizes 37 of 40 research papers written by world-class scientists from prominent universities and research institutions. Three additional papers are still undergoing peer reviews and will be considered for inclusion in the final report later this summer. The reports were funded through the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program and represent the most comprehensive and detailed scientific information to date on climate change impacts to California. They also serve as the scientific foundation on which the state is developing its first Climate Adaptation Strategy. A chapter of the CAT report released today previews the Natural Resources Agency’s work to prepare this strategy.