Water and Climate Change:
Managing Unavoidable Impacts;
Avoiding Unmanageable Impacts

Dr. Peter H. Gleick
Pacific Institute Oakland
January 9, 2009
Briefing to the U.S. Congress

Conclusions
• Impacts of climate change on U.S. water systems are not only unavoidable, they are already occurring.
• Both mitigation and adaptation actions must be pursued.
• Recommendations for water managers and planners have been available for two decades.
• Actual progress toward implementing these recommendations has been slow.
• In many cases and locations, there is compelling scientific evidence that climate changes will pose serious challenges to water systems.
• National water policy must be reevaluated and updated to meet 21st century challenges, including the risks of climate change for the nation’s water.
• I will provide 8 broad recommendations for Congress. […]