Toward Climate-Safe Infrastructure in California: Closing the Gap Between Climate Science, Decision-Making and Engineering

Climate science cannot remain in the boundaries of academe. This is increasingly recognized in the context of adaptation. One particularly challenging area in which to make the link between science and practice, however, is engineering. At first blush, the technical nature of both would seem to make that connection easier than in other areas of practice. But engineering is traditionally guided and carried out within the confines of carefully developed standards, codes and manuals of practice. Most of those that are climate-sensitive rest on historical (and now outdated) climate data or are confined by regulatory requirements that do not permit the use of forward-looking climate projections. In addition, there are significant barriers related to climate modeling, professional training and norms, as well as a wide range of additional regulatory, institutional and financial barriers that make bridging of the climate science-engineering gap challenging. California Assembly Bill 2800 required a working group of scientists and engineers to make recommendations on how to close it and how to update the state's infrastructure design standards. This paper will provide background and deep insights into the process of delivering on AB2800, show how it drew on the state's Fourth Climate Change Assessment, share lessons from the interactive process for others, and report on the working group's recommendations. Placing the working group's efforts into the context of California's ongoing climate assessment and climate policy-making efforts, the paper will also draw out lessons for the proposed sustained national climate assessment.