Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

This paper focuses on sea level rise associated with climate change and implications for restoration and management of coastal wetlands in southern California. The paper begins with a look at climate in general and how to assess climate change. The next section looks at the process of decision-making to utilize global information in a regional and local context. Included in this section is a look at federal, state, and local efforts to address climate change. The section ends with a look at adaptation in regards to climate change impacts that are occurring today and projected for the future. Section 3 delves into the fine points of how to determine global sea level and the considerations for regional spatial variation, and the vulnerability of California, in regard to sea level rise. Section 4 looks at sea level rise in the context of coastal ecosystems, particularly coastal wetlands. After a broad perspective, the section ends with a theoretical look at the previous information on the next steps to incorporate climate change impacts such as sea level rise into existing policy, research, and communication. Overall, this paper is a mere overview of the breadth of knowledge available for one aspect of climate change. It is important to note climate change impacts such as sea level rise do not occur in isolation and, as such, research and analysis require an interdisciplinary approach as well as the measures for addressing it.