The following reports and websites are sources for more information about climate change, its impacts on Oregon, and strategies to help our communities prepare and adapt. Most of the reports on this list are written by scientists or policy specialists for a broad audience - some are fact sheets and others are more detailed. Many contain links and references to scholarly articles. Links are listed by geographic focus and publication date.
The reports linked from this page are not authored by the OGWC. For a list of reports published by the Oregon Global Warming Commission itself, see the OGWC Reports page.
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Willamette Basin Climate Resiliency Report (January 2011) - The report describes the likely impacts of climate change in the lower and mid-Willamette basin and includes over 40 recommendations for building resiliency.
Oregon Climate Assessment Report (December 2010) - The report highlights likely impacts of climate change on Oregon and was developed by the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute.
The Oregon Climate Change Adaptation Framework (December 2010) - Identifies expected climate-related risks and steps to improve Oregon's capacity to adapt to climate change. Developed at the request of Governor Kulongoski.
Mote, P.W., and E.P. Salathé (June, 2009). Future climate in the Pacific Northwest. Chapter 1 in The Washington Climate Change Impacts Assessment: Evaluating Washington's Future in a Changing Climate, Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
United States Global Change Research Program (June, 2009). Regional Climate Change Impacts: Northwest from Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. See also the Northwest Fact Sheet (PDF).
Mote, P.W. (April 22, 2009). What's New in Global Climate Science and What it Means for Northwest Water Resources. Oregon State University Seminar. Video and seminar slides available.
Climate Leadership Initiative, NCCSP, US Forest Service. (March, 2009). Preparing for Climate Change in the Upper Willamette River Basin of Western Oregon. 49 pp. Notes: Report on the likely impacts and risks of climate change on ecological, economic, human, and built systems in the basin and recommendations for preparation.
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Doppelt, B., C.S. Bretherton, N.J. Mantua, and P.W. Mote (January, 2009). Setting the Record Straight: Responses to Common Challenges to Climate Science. White paper prepared by the University of Oregon's Climate Leadership Initiative in partnership with the University of Washington's Climate Impacts Group. 9 pp. Notes: Summary of responses to common challenges to climate change science. index page
US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Geological Survey. (January, 2009). Climate Change, Natural Resources, and Coastal Management: A Workshop on the Coastal Ecosystems of California, Oregon and Washington. January 29-30, 2009, San Francisco, California. Notes: Webpage contains descriptions and downloads of scholarly presentations on freshwater coastal, ocean, and estuarine ecosystems.
Oregon Department of Energy (last updated 2009). Oregon Climate Change Portal. Notes: Links to Oregon laws, policies and reports related to climate change.
Whitely Binder, L.C. 2009. Preparing for climate change in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy 15(1):183-196.
Lawler J. J., M. Mathias, A. E. Yahnke, and E. H. Girvetz (2008). Oregon’s Biodiversity in a Changing Climate. Report prepared for the Climate Leadership Initiative, University of Oregon. Notes: This report was developed by scientists at the University of Washington and was based on a similar report the authors wrote for the state of Washington. The report describes, "the current state of knowledge about the potential future changes in Oregon’s climate and the potential impact of those changes on Oregon’s biodiversity".
Climate Leadership Initiative, NCCSP, US Forest Service (December, 2008). Preparing for Climate Change in the Rogue River Basin of Southwest Oregon. 55 pp. Notes: Report on the likely impacts and risks of climate change on ecological, economic, human, and built systems in the basin and recommendations for increasing resiliency of these systems. index page
Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington (last updated: March, 2008). Climate Change. Notes: An overview of the science of climate change written by climate scientists at the University of Washington. It includes a summary of findings from the 2007 IPCC report on climate change science and projections for the 21st century. It also describes past and projected future climate changes in the Pacific Northwest.
Climate Leadership Initiative, Institute for a Sustainable Environment. (February, 2008). Preparing the Pacific Northwest for Climate Change: A Framework for Integrative Preparation Planning for Natural, Human, Built and Economic Systems. University of Oregon. 32 pp. Notes: Framework developed out of meetings with experts and stakeholders to prepare various sectors for climate change. index page
Oregon Climate Change Integration Group (CCIG) (January 2008) A Framework for Addressing Rapid Climate Change. The Climate Change Integration Group was appointed by Oregon Governor
Kulongoski in May 2006 to develop a framework for making well-informed choices related to climate change in Oregon.
Center for Science in the Earth System (The Climate Impacts Group), King County Washington, and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (September, 2007). Preparing for Climate Change: A Guidebook for Local, Regional, and State Governments. 186 pp. Notes: Information to help communities on why and how to assess climate change risk and develop and implement a preparedness plan. index page
Independent Scientific Advisory Board for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Columbia River Basin Indian Tribes, and National Marine Fisheries Service (May, 2007). Climate Change Impacts on Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife. Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Portland, Oregon. 146 pp. Notes: Technical report describing impacts, planning, mitigation, and adaptation with a focus on fish in ocean, river, and estuary systems.
Climate Leadership Initiative (February, 2007). Summary of New IPCC Findings on Climate Change: Implications for Oregon and Washington. Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon. 3 pp. Notes: A short summary of the IPCC conclusions and what they mean for the PNW.
Oregon Forest Resources Institute, Oregon State University, and Oregon Department of Forestry (2006). Forests, Carbon, and Climate Change: A Synthesis of Findings. Oregon Forest Resources Institute. 192 pp. Notes: Technical report on the role of Oregon forests in sequestering carbon.
Oregon Carbon Allocation Task Force (December, 2006) Letter to Governor. This letter describes a load-based carbon cap and trade design that could be adopted by Oregon or used as the basis for negotiating a western regional multi-state cap and trade system. The Carbon Allocation Task Force was a stakeholder group appointed by Governor Kulongoski in 2005. See also their December 2006 Summary of Median Proposal.
Nelson, Hal T. (December, 2006) Cost and Design Considerations for Reducing Carbon Dioxide from Oregon’s Power Sector: Report to the Oregon Carbon Allocation Task Force. This report helped inform discussions of a load-based cap and trade program for the power sector. See link above to more information about the Carbon Allocation Task Force.
Resource Innovations Institute for a Sustainable Environment (October, 2005). The Economic Impacts of Climate Change in Oregon: A Preliminary Assessment. University of Oregon. 25 pp. Notes: Technical summary by economists of potential economic impacts, given trends described by scientists, on these sectors: municipal water supplies, agriculture, forestry, snow-based recreation, coastal tourism and infrastructure, power generation, salmon recovery, and public health.
Oregon Governor’s Advisory Group on Global Warming (December, 2004) Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reductions.
The report recommended a suite of policies and measures to reduce
Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions and goals to guide their
implementation. The Group had been appointed by Governor Kulongoski in
2004.
SECURE Water Act Section 9503(c) — Reclamation Climate Change and Water 2011 (April 2011) - A report to congress from the Bureau of Reclamation that assesses climate change risks and how these risks could impact water operations, hydropower, flood control, and fish and wildlife in the western United States.
Climate Resilient Communities Program (November 2010) - Assessment guide for local communities for identifying vulnerabilities and resilience strategies. Created by the ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA.
Green Homes (December 2009) - US Environmental Protection Agency site with guidance for homeowners on ways to improve energy efficiency in their homes.
Clean Energy and Climate Policy for U.S. Growth and Job Creation (October, 2009) - An economic assessment of the
American Clean Energy and Security Act and the
Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Written by university faculty.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (June, 2009) Clean
Energy Lead by Example Guide. A book written for state and local governments detailing tested strategies to save money and energy.
United States Global Change Research Program (June, 2009) Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (March, 2009). Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science. 17 pp. Notes: A primer for all audiences on climate change science and impacts. index page
Pew Center on Global Climate Change (January, 2009). Climate Change 101: Understanding and Responding to Global Climate Change. 86 pp. Notes: Comprehensive and reader-friendly introduction to climate change, with separate reports covering: Overview, Science and Impacts, Adaptation, Technology, Cap and Trade, Business, International, State, Local.
Environmental Defense Fund (2008). Are We Ready? Preparing for the Public Health Impacts of Climate Change. 41 pp. Notes: Survey of the current level of preparedness of the US public health system for climate change impacts and recommendations for improvement. index page
Google Earth: Climate Change (2009) - A video explanation of climate change, impacts and mitigation with graphical tours of specific regions.
RealClimate.org (updated frequently) A moderated blog where climate scientists provide commentary on developing climate change stories. The intended audience is the public and journalists.
Reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - The IPCC is an international scientific group set up by the United Nations. Their reports synthesize the state of knowledge of climate change science and reflect the contributions of hundreds of scientists from around the world. Most of their reports include summaries for policy makers. Their report Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, Summary for Policy Makers was approved, line-by-line, by consensus with scientists and government representatives from 113 countries.
World Trade Organization and United Nations Environment Programme (June, 2009). Trade and Climate Change. 194 pp. Notes: Review of the science of climate change, expected impacts, mitigation and adaptation measures as they relate to world trade.
CARE, CIESIN, UNHCR, UNU-EHS, and The World Bank (May, 2009). In Search of Shelter: Mapping the effects of Climate change on Human Migration and Displacement. 36 pp. Notes: Technical report of a multi-continent survey of environmental migration, maps of possible future displacement, and policy recommendations. index page
UCL Lancet Commission. (May, 2009). Managing the health effects of climate change. The Lancet 373: 1693-1733. Notes: Outlines threats to global health that could be caused by climate change including: disease, water and food insecurity, vulnerable shelter and human settlements, extreme climatic events, and population migration. Also offers recommendations for mitigating these effects.
National Science Foundation (2009). Solving the Puzzle: Researching the Impacts of Climate Change Around the World. 114 pp. Notes: Describes general climate change impacts and
highlights current interdisciplinary research related to all aspects of climate
change.
McGray, H., Hammill, A., Bradley, R., Schipper, E.L., and Parry, J. (November, 2007). Weathering the Storm: Options for Framing Adaptation and Development. 66 pp. World Resources Institute. Notes: Highlights adaptation efforts and their relationship to development with a focus on the developing world. index page
