Among Its Other Challenges, California Continues to Face the Looming Impacts of Climate Change and Rising Seas. 

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic and resulting economic impacts have rightly drawn the focus of the Legislature’s and public’s attention since March 2020, other statewide challenges continue to approach on the horizon. Among these are the impending impacts of climate change, including the hazards that rising seas pose to California’s coast. Scientific estimates suggest the magnitude of sea‑level rise (SLR) in California could be at least half of one foot in 2030 and as much as seven feet by 2100. Moreover, storm surges, exceptionally high “king tides,” or El Niño events could produce notably higher water levels than SLR alone.

Impacts of SLR Could Be Both Extensive and Expensive. 

Encroaching seas and waves could result in negative impacts along California’s coast not only through increased flooding, but also by eroding beaches and cliffs, and by raising coastal groundwater levels. This report describes available research on how rising seas threaten California’s coast in seven categories: public infrastructure, private property, vulnerable communities, natural resources, drinking and agricultural water supplies, toxic contamination, and economic disruption. Some key findings from existing research include:

• Between $8 billion and $10 billion of existing property in California is likely to be underwater by 2050, with an additional $6 billion to $10 billion at risk during high tides.
• Four feet of higher water levels would cause daily flooding for nearly 28,000 socially vulnerable residents in the San Francisco Bay Area region.
• Under scenarios of three feet to six feet of SLR, up to two‑thirds of Southern California beaches may become completely eroded by 2100.

Important to Include SLR Preparation Activities Among the State’s Priorities. 

Because the most severe effects of SLR likely will manifest decades in the future, taking actions to address them now may seem less urgent compared to the immediate pandemic‑related challenges currently facing the state. Moreover, the recent economic downturn complicates SLR preparation efforts, as fiscal resources are more limited at both the state and local levels. However, given the significant threats posed by SLR in the coming decades—and the additional public safety and economic disruptions that will result absent steps to mitigate potential impacts—the state and its coastal communities cannot afford to defer all preparation efforts until economic conditions have fully rebounded from the recent crisis. The state and local governments can undertake some essential near‑term preparation activities—such as planning, establishing relationships and forums for regional coordination, and sharing information—with relatively minor upfront investments.

Read more of the publication here.