Publications

407 Resources

Sustainable Water Management for Urban Agriculture: Planting Justice, Oakland

January 30, 2013 | publication

The food justice movement has deep roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the organization Planting Justice is utilizing urban agriculture to address economic and social justice issues.

California’s Water Footprint

December 11, 2012 | publication

This report offers the first comprehensive assessment of California’s water footprint.

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Costs and Financing

November 27, 2012 | publication

Seawater desalination is gaining traction as a potential solution to water supply challenges in California, but economics – specifically, the cost of the water produced and the complex financial arrangements needed to develop a project – will ultimately determine the success and extent of this technology.

Sustainability Standards and Public Governance

November 26, 2012 | publication

An emerging theme of the framing project from its inception in 2009 was the growing awareness of the significance and complexity of the interactions between voluntary, non-governmental sustainability standards and national and international governance, raising fundamental questions about standards development, use, legitimacy and sustainability.

From Storage to Retention: Expanding California’s Options for Meeting its Water Needs

November 11, 2012 | publication

California’s ability to grow its wealth of specialty crops depends on retaining and storing water from the state's wet season for use during the long, dry summer season.

Guide to Water-Related Collective Action and Water Action Hub

August 29, 2012 | publication

Global water challenges must be addressed through collective action, where multiple stakeholders collaborate on shared water stewardship goals.

Urban Water Demand in California to 2100: Incorporating Climate Change

August 28, 2012 | publication

Climate change will have significant impacts on California water supply and demand. Research shows that the state’s changing climate will lead to increased water use in cities and suburbs, while water supply is expected to diminish.

Bringing a Human Rights Lens to Corporate Water Stewardship

August 26, 2012 | publication

Expectations that business will respect, and in some cases support or help fulfill, internationally recognized human rights have increased over the past decade.

A Twenty-First Century U.S. Water Policy

July 31, 2012 | publication

This book provides the first independent assessment of water issues and water management in the United States in many decades, addressing emerging and persistent challenges from the perspectives of science, public policy, environmental justice, economics, and law.

Cadiz Public Comments

July 24, 2012 | publication

This letter contains a summary of comments submitted by the Pacific Institute on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) of the Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery, and Storage Project on March 13th, 2012.

Social Vulnerability to Climate Change in California

July 21, 2012 | publication

California faces a range of impacts from global climate change, including increased incidences of extreme heat, wildfires, coastal flooding, and erosion.

Implications of Future Water Supply Sources for Energy Demands

July 15, 2012 | publication

The Water–Energy Simulator (WESim) is an easy-to-use analytical tool that can be used to evaluate the energy and greenhouse gas implications of water management decisions.

Community-Based Climate Adaptation Planning: Case Study of Oakland, California

July 15, 2012 | publication

This analysis identifies more than 50 strategies for building community resilience and adapting to climate-change impacts such as extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, poor air quality, and rising food, water, and electricity prices.

The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the San Francisco Bay

July 2, 2012 | publication

Rising sea levels from global climate change pose a serious threat to the highly developed coastal communities of the San Francisco Bay. This report assesses the populations, critical infrastructure, and property at risk from projected sea-level rise, if no action is taken to protect the coast.

Key Issues in Seawater Desalination in California: Proposed Seawater Desalination Facilities

July 1, 2012 | publication

In 2006, the Pacific Institute published “Desalination, With a Grain of Salt,” a comprehensive overview of the advantages and disadvantages of seawater desalination to help meet California’s water needs. In 2012, the Institute launched a series of research reports identifying the key outstanding issues for desalination in California: cost and financing; energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions; and marine impacts.

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