Climate Change: How Will Marin Adapt?

R1

The board of supervisors, in collaboration with the municipalities and other agencies affected by climate change, should convene a multi-jurisdictional task force (referred to in this report as the Marin Climate Adaptation Task Force) charged with developing a single, comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional adaptation strategy for all of Marin. Response: The County of Marin along with the municipalities and other agencies of the County have convened several multi-jurisdictional collaborative processes. TAM serves as a member of the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP), attends the county BayWAVE Executive Steering Committee meetings, and serves on the Drawdown Executive Steering Committee and Transportation Subcommittee. Additionally, the County and local jurisdictions coordinate local hazard mitigation plan development for all jurisdictions. TAM would be supportive of efforts to use an existing structure, where feasible, that has staff and elected representation to provide technical resources and policy direction in development of such a strategy. If a new task force is required, TAM would offer support and technical resources as appropriate to support these efforts.

R4

Each member of the Marin Climate & Energy Partnership, should declare its support for broadening the partnership’s mission and increasing its funding as necessary to enable it to support overall climate change planning efforts, including both mitigation and adaptation in cities, towns, and other member agencies throughout the county. Response: MCEP is comprised of staff from the incorporated towns and cities in Marin county, the County of Marin, TAM, the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD), and Marin Clean Energy (MCE). TAM provides technical support and resources to support climate change reduction from the transportation sector. MCEP has long declared its support for studying, securing funding for, and implementing adaptation planning in its mission statement: “The mission of the Marin Climate & Energy Partnership (MCEP) is to create a countywide partnership that allows partner members to work collaboratively, share resources, and secure funding to: 1) discuss, study and implement overarching policies and programs, ranging from emission reduction strategies to adaptation, contained in each agency’s Climate Action Plan; and 2) collect data and report on progress in meeting each partner member’s individual greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets.” However, the challenge of sea level rise and climate change adaptation requires the close coordination of local elected officials, the general public, as well as planning, public works, flood control districts and regional and state agencies. Should the County and local jurisdictions determine that MCEP is best positioned to convene all of the required representation, or if another multi-jurisdictional partnership such as BayWAVE or local hazard mitigation plan development coordination can provide the representation necessary to address adaptation planning and support development of a multi-jurisdictional strategy, TAM would continue to be supportive of these efforts with technical support and resources as appropriate. TAM also understands that administration of such an effort needs to be considered, specifically the resources and policies needed to launch and sustain such an organization or process. Since MCEP is funded by contributions from its members for specific work elements including updates to Climate Action Plans, if MCEP’s scope were expanded, TAM could consider increasing its contributions within available revenues to support the administration and specific work elements required to advance adaptation planning.