New report shows how drought impacted WA, helps agencies plan for future 

Written by

Researchers released their 2023 “Pacific Northwest Water Year Impacts Assessment” this month, examining how Washington, Oregon and Idaho were impacted by precipitation and temperatures. Karin Bumbaco is quoted. The Climate Impacts Group and the Office of the Washington State Climatologist are mentioned.

Climate Impacts Group participating in improv/science event

Written by

At the Climate Impacts Group, we’re always interested in creative and novel ways to communicate about climate change. So when we were invited to partner with an improv troupe, we said “yes, and!” 

Dr. Guillaume Mauger, lead scientist at the Climate Impacts Group, will be presenting on his work on climate adaptation and flooding for “Mad Science,” a theater event blending science and improv comedy. Hosted by Seattle Rep and Bandit Theatre on Friday, November 10, at 5 p.m., the event will feature two environmental scientists giving short “lightning” talks, followed by an improv show based off of their talks. 

We’re excited to see what comes out of this fruitful + funny partnership!

The increasing risk of flooding: What solutions are Washingtonians considering to manage flooding as the climate changes? – Part One

Written by

As the climate changes, the risk of flooding is increasing in some watersheds. That means how Washingtonians approach floodplain management is changing, too. Guillaume Mauger, a research scientist at the UW Climate Impacts Group, is interviewed for Northwest Public Broadcasting.

Scientists: Warming climate ‘loads the dice’ for wildfire in west Cascades

Written by

Record heat made the Cascades ripe for a fire like Bolt Creek. Dr. Crystal Raymond is quoted. 

“A large wildfire on the west side is a little bit like an earthquake,” Raymond said. “It could be pretty severe. It’s pretty rare. We need to practice for it because we don’t know how it’s going to go down.” 

CIG study investigates influence of federal policy on local climate action

Written by

Dr. Jason Vogel, interim director of the Climate Impacts Group, is co-author on a recently published article in Sustainability on the influence of federal policy on local climate adaptation efforts. 

The article, Climate Adaptation at the Local Scale: Using Federal Climate Adaptation Policy Regimes to Enhance Climate Services, was published earlier this month in a special edition of Sustainability focused on climate services. 

Vogel and his co-author, Charles Herrick, reviewed 17 case studies of local climate adaptation efforts for the role of federal law, policy and programs, the organizations and agencies involved, and the use of science. 

They found in many cases, federal laws and policies provide a framework for local policy as well as “technical and fiscal resources beyond what any individual locality could muster on its own.” An overlooked element of the climate adaptation landscape, they write, is the role of federal policy as a “bottom-up” approach to local climate action, as local governments take advantage of policy tools to achieve their own resilience objectives. 

They suggest that climate services providers can take one or both of two approaches to integrate this knowledge into their work. One is to work directly with communities to navigate federal laws, policy and governance. Another is to engage with federal agencies to learn how policies are being implemented to achieve climate resilience at the local scale. 

Ultimately, they propose that organizations working in climate adaptation “may need to move beyond existing models of co-production to embrace an ‘apprenticeship’ model.” The apprenticeship model, they write, would allow climate service providers to learn the ins and outs of policy and governance so they can “recognize factors that influence the applicability, usefulness, and uptake of climate products and services.” 

We’re Hiring: Climate Impacts Group Director

Written by

We are hiring a Director to plan and lead the activities of the UW Climate Impacts Group. The Director will provide strategic leadership and direction for the Group’s research, education and stakeholder engagement efforts aimed at improving societal and ecological resilience to climate variability and change, and will represent the Climate Impacts Group on a regional and national scale. This position will establish the vision and build support both inside and outside the University of Washington for our efforts to connect science with climate-resilience action through partnership and collaboration. They will broaden and deepen our efforts related to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

We envision this position will: 1) provide strategic leadership for the organization; 2) work collaboratively with the Climate Impacts Group team to set the direction for research, education and outreach on an actionable climate science agenda; 3) serve as the lead-PI for large research efforts involving multiple co-PIs within and beyond the Group, such as the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative; 4) maintain relationships with key public, private, non-profit and/or tribal partners; 5) work closely with the University of Washington partners to develop and steward diverse sources of grant and non-grant support from private, federal, state, foundation and other sources; and 6) provide internal management for the Climate Impacts Group. 

We are seeking a candidate with a Ph.D. or terminal professional degree or foreign equivalent in a climate adaptation-relevant discipline or the equivalent in knowledge and experience, and at least nine years of experience leading large or complicated projects or programs focused on issues of relevance. Successful candidates will also demonstrate the ability to successfully work with, respect and support diverse people and perspectives; to work effectively as a collaborator, mentor, team builder and program manager; and to apply innovative leadership skills to a complex organization. They will have experience in co-creating knowledge and linking science and decision-making, as well as advancing justice, inclusion and equity at an individual and organizational level.

We encourage applications from people who do not have a traditional academic background, including experience in NGOs, consulting, and government.

The salary range for this position is $12,000 to $14,000 monthly or $144,000 to $168,000 annually. We have set a wide range to allow for candidates with different levels of experience.

LEARN MORE & APPLY

 

The UW Climate Impacts Group is a member organization of UW EarthLab, and is housed in the College of the Environment. 

Crystal Raymond to present in free webinar led by Municipal Research and Services Center

Written by

Dr. Crystal Raymond, climate adaptation specialist, will participate in a webinar on building local climate resiliency on Wednesday, January 12. Event details and registration info below.

Local Climate Response – Building Resiliency and Adapting to Impacts

Wednesday, January 12

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Credits: CM

More information

Register