California climate action update released

California Construction News staff writer

California has issued a progress report on climate actions including wildfire mitigation work including building fuel breaks to restoring significant wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to deploying clean energy microgrids.

The report shows nearly three-quarters of the 150 actions are in progress or completed, with the remaining in the early stages of scoping or beginning project work.

Adaptation in action: The Climate Adaptation Strategy comprises nearly 150 actions across six priorities that are being implemented through concrete projects all across California. Some examples include:

• California launched a new program to reduce risks of extreme heat to California’s youth by investing $150 million to strategically cool schoolyards by planting trees and other native plants.
• In 2022, the California Energy Commission (CEC) awarded a $31 million grant to deploy a cutting-edge, long-duration energy storage system that will provide renewable backup power for the Viejas Tribe of Kumeyaay Indians and support statewide grid reliability in the event of an emergency.
• For the third consecutive year, CAL FIRE completedapproximately 100,000 acres of wildfire fuel reduction projects. In 2022, the state established the Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center, and CAL FIRE flew its first night-flying mission and hired 2,296 firefighters.
• California directed $42 million last year to help regionstransition irrigated lands to meet groundwater sustainability goals.

The Climate Adaptation Strategy has six priorities:

• Strengthen Protections for Climate Vulnerable Communities
• Bolster Public Health and Safety to Protect Against Increasing Climate Risks
• Build a Climate Resilient Economy
• Accelerate Nature-Based Climate Solutions and Strengthen Climate Resilience of Natural Systems
• Make Decisions Based on the Best Available Climate Science
• Partner and Collaborate to Leverage Resources

Progress is tracked at https://www.climateresilience.ca.gov/.