Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Washington State: Technical Summaries for Decision Makers summarizes existing knowledge about the likely effects of climate change on Washington State and the Pacific Northwest with an emphasis on research since 2007. The report also provides examples of climate change adaptation activities underway across the state and data resources available to support local adaptation efforts.

This report is presented in an easy-to-read format designed to bring Washington public utilities, policy makers, engineers, resource managers and other decision makers up to date with the state of climate change science and adaptation actions throughout the region.

The Washington State of Knowledge Report is part of the Climate Impacts Group’s “State of Knowledge” series. Research since 2007 is emphasized in order to capture contributions to climate science made since the fourth global climate change assessment report was released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It was authored by personnel at the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group, and reviewed by a wide array of regional and national specialists.

FULL REPORT  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Acknowledgements:

We recognize the support from all the organizations represented by the author team. The editors and authors wish to thank the 32 reviewers for their time and effort providing thoughtful comments and suggestions that ultimately improved this report. All of the mapping work for this project was produced by Robert Norheim at the UW Climate Impacts Group.

Individual Chapters

How Are Global and National Climate Changing? | Section 1

How Is Pacific Northwest Climate Changing? | Section 2
(minor update 3.31.14; see inside cover of full report for details)

Making Sense of the New Climate Change Scenarios | Section 3

How Are Global and National Climate Projected to Change? | Section 4

How Is Pacific Northwest Climate Projected to Change? | Section 5

How Will Climate Change Affect Water in Washington? | Section 6
(minor update 3.31.14; see inside cover of full report for details)

How Will Climate Change Affect Forests in Washington? | Section 7

How Will Climate Change Affect Plants and Animals in Washington? | Section 8

How Will Climate Change Affect the Coast and Ocean in Washington? | Section 9

How Will Climate Change Affect Infrastructure in Washington? | Section 10

How Will Climate Change Affect Agriculture in Washington? | Section 11

How Will Climate Change Affect Human Health in Washington? | Section 12

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