Climate Change > 2007 Climate Advisory Team (CAT) Archive > Preparation/Adaptation Working Groups

Preparation/Adaptation Working Groups (PAWGs)

Preparation/Adaptation Working Groups (PAWGs) have been formed to assist Ecology and CTED in developing recommendations for the Governor on how Washington can prepare and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Departments of Agriculture, Health, Natural Resources and Ecology will lead PAWGs that will examine climate change impacts, and identify preparation/adaptation strategies and additional research needs. PAWGs are structured around five sectors where the Ecology/CTED Economic Report and the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington identify the greatest impacts for Washington State:

• Agriculture - species changes, crop changes, and pests
• Forestry Resources - growth (rate, species), pests, fires (loss of timber, loss of recreational value, costs to fight)
• Human Health - air quality (ozone, particulates), heat stroke, pests/vectors, and zoonotic disease
• Water Resources & Quality - freshwater, in-stream flows, municipal water, industrial water, flooding/droughts, storm water, salmon recovery, stream temps, hydropower, and water supply
• Coastal & Infrastructure - infrastructure design and location, erosion, coastal flooding, habitat, and other issues identified by the group as important for consideration

PAWG members will meet regularly over the course of the next eight months , and with support from the Climate Impacts Group, will:

• Review the climate impacts baseline for each sector , and identify
  • Key issues/vulnerabilities
  • A set of fundamental issues/vulnerabilities for further examination
  • Specific adaptation approaches and expectations for these issues/vulnerabilities:
• Draft a report of suggested recommendations that identifies
  • Opportunity areas and additional preparation/adaptation strategies WA can pursue
  • Critical research needs and approaches for filling information gaps
• Participate in a cross-sector dialog to identify additional strategies that are broad and cross-cutting

PAWG recommendations will focus on strategies that can most effectively and immediately move the state (at all levels) forward in integrating climate impacts into future decision-making in straightforward and meaningful ways.

Share your comments on Washington's efforts to address climate change -- send comments to: climatecomments@ecy.wa.gov. Comments will be posted to the website.

Additional Information

• Preparation/Adaptation Working Groups work plan (pdf)
• CAT flow chart (pdf)