1059 Resources
The Future of California’s Water-Energy-Climate Nexus
September 9, 2021 | publication
Water and energy are inextricably linked in California and, as one resource faces constraints or challenges, so does the other. With the state looking to both reach its climate change goals and decarbonize its economy through a transition to 100 percent clean energy, water will play an integral role.
As Water Scarcity Grows in California, So Will Greenhouse Gas Emissions Without Urgent Efficiency Measures
September 9, 2021 | announcement
September 9, Oakland, California — Without urgent water efficiency measures, carbon emissions associated with water usage in California are likely to spike in coming years, as changing sources of water supply and population growth drive up energy-intensive urban and agricultural water needs.
California Drought: Tackling Water Risks for Agriculture and Apparel
September 8, 2021 | video
In California, water is a case study in extremes, exacerbated by a fast-changing climate. Periods of epic drought followed by torrential precipitation are the new normal, making it harder to manage water supplies and protect the state’s ecosystems, communities, farms, businesses, and infrastructure. Staying involved, engaged and informed on California water risks and solutions is necessary for agriculture and apparel companies that want to grow.
A New Vigilance: Identifying and Reducing the Risks of Environmental Terrorism
September 1, 2021 | publication
Environmental terrorism is an old type of conflict with a new face. Large, costly wars
between two or more states have become less prevalent over the past 50 years, and with the end
of the Cold War and the demise of the Soviet Union, there has been no bipolar superpower
standoff to suppress the many ethnic, religious, and multipolar political and cultural tensions that
motivate terrorist actions.
Water Resilience Assessment Framework
August 24, 2021 | publication
Climate change is driving many types of water challenges, including water scarcity and abundance, worsening water quality, and shifts in timing of the hydrologic cycle. Shocks and stresses affect the resilience of water systems and the stakeholders that rely on them. Specific guidance on how to understand system resilience and measure systematic changes and intervening actions can ensure a more resilient future for all.
New Water Resilience Assessment Framework Launched at World Water Week
August 24, 2021 | announcement
The Pacific Institute, in partnership with the CEO Water Mandate, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), and World Resources Institute (WRI) today launched the Water Resilience Assessment Framework (WRAF) during World Water Week. The Framework is designed to inform and support decisions and actions among stakeholders to ensure both short- and long-term water system resilience.
Building Resilience Faster at World Water Week 2021
August 20, 2021 | post
As the co-secretariat of the UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate, the Pacific Institute is pleased to be a leading contributor at the upcoming World Water Week.
Dry Times For California Farms With Heather Cooley and Ruth Dahlquist-Willard
August 17, 2021 | video
The impacts and actions of agriculture during drought are discussed in this episode with Heather Cooley, Director of Research at the Pacific Institute, and Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, Farm Advisor at the University of California Cooperative Extension. They discuss the variety of choices California farms will make during drought, including where to get water, how much to water crops, what crops to fallow, how to improve water efficiency, and even whether to stay in business.
Shortage Declaration in the Colorado River Basin Takeaways
August 16, 2021 | post
Today, the US Secretary of the Interior declared a first-ever Shortage Condition for the Lower Colorado River Basin. After more than 21 years of drought in the western United States intensified by human-caused climate change, the Bureau of Reclamation has released a study projecting that the elevation of Lake Mead will be below an elevation triggering a Tier 1 Shortage Condition that will reduce water access to some users starting in January 2022. It’s a historic move sending reverberations throughout the water policy world — both within the United States and globally.
Comments on the California Public Utilities Commission Amended Scope for a Low Income Water Rates Assistance Program
August 11, 2021 | publication
This letter from the Center for Accessible Technology; Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security; Natural Resources Defense Council; The Environmental Justice Coalition for Water; Community Water Center; and Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability (collectively the Joint Advocates) contains comments on the California Public Utilities Commission Amended Scope for a Low Income Water Rates Assistance Program.
All Together Now? Differences in Water Shortage Conditions Across California
July 15, 2021 | post
California is back in a drought. You’ve heard it on the news, you’ve heard it from scientists, and they’re right — 100% of the state is in at least moderate drought. Yet, California Governor Gavin Newsom has yet to declare a statewide drought emergency, instead opting for county-level declarations — 50 of 58 counties have been declared so far this year.
New Report Explores the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Water Reuse for Agriculture
July 14, 2021 | announcement
July 14, Oakland, California -- A new report from The Water Research Foundation, Pentair Foundation, and the Pacific Institute examines the use of water reuse in agriculture. The report analyzes the benefits and includes case studies and an online benefit library.
July 2021 Newsletter
July 12, 2021 | announcement
The monthly newsletter features the Pacific Institute’s research, publications, news about past and upcoming Institute staff outreach efforts, and media coverage of its work and analysis.
Op-Ed: Dying from the Heat
July 2, 2021 | publication
No one wants to be a statistic in a climate disaster—an anonymous entry in a dataset of extreme events. But sometimes things sneak up on you. A couple of weeks ago, during one of the extraordinary and severe heat events striking western North America, I almost suffered from heat stroke.
Stacked Incentives: Co-Funding Water Customer Incentive Programs
June 30, 2021 | video
Water utilities throughout the US offer customer incentives, such as rebates and technical assistance, to motivate action and foster engagement with their customers. In addition to providing water-related benefits, many of these programs generate additional co-benefits, such as reducing energy required for heating water or increasing carbon sequestration in landscapes. These co-benefits present water utilities with an opportunity to build collaborative partnerships and co-funding for customer incentive programs through stacked incentives.
June 2021 Newsletter
June 30, 2021 | announcement
The monthly newsletter features the Pacific Institute’s research, publications, news about past and upcoming Institute staff outreach efforts, and media coverage of its work and analysis.
Forty Two Percent of Public Water Supply Wells in California’s San Joaquin Valley Vulnerable, Finds New Report
June 22, 2021 | announcement
June 22, 2021, Oakland, California – Forty two percent of shallow wells supplying water to community water systems in California’s San Joaquin Valley are vulnerable to going partially or fully dry under the state’s minimum thresholds, finds a new report from the Pacific Institute. Most impacted wells are shallower, and tend to be in disadvantaged communities.
At Risk: Public Supply Well Vulnerability Under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
June 21, 2021 | publication
Community water systems in California’s San Joaquin Valley face a host of challenges that threaten the safety and reliability of drinking water, including pollution, periodic drought, and chronic groundwater overdraft. Moreover, shallow wells, some of which serve community water systems, are vulnerable to short-term and chronic declines in groundwater levels. For example, during the 2012-2016 drought, many domestic wells and some public supply wells went dry.
Dr. Amanda Bielawski Joins the Pacific Institute’s Executive Team as Director of Communications and Outreach
June 14, 2021 | announcement
June 14, 2021, Oakland, California – The Pacific Institute today announced Dr. Amanda Bielawski has joined its executive team as Director of Communications and Outreach. Bielawski will drive the Pacific Institute’s communications strategy to advance global water resilience through research, policy advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.
Report Explores Co-Funding Water Management through “Stacked Incentives”
June 8, 2021 | announcement
June 8, 2021, Oakland, California – Today the Pacific Institute released a report to help water managers scale “stacked incentives” for water customer incentive programs. The report defines “stacked incentives” as customer incentive programs, including rebates and discounts, technical assistance, and/or education programs, that are co-funded by two or more separate entities to motivate voluntary action on public or private property.
Stacked Incentives: Co-Funding Water Customer Incentive Programs
June 8, 2021 | publication
Water utilities throughout the United States offer customer incentives to motivate action and foster engagement with their customers. These incentive programs can take many forms, from rebates for high-efficiency fixtures and appliances to technical assistance for installing cisterns and rain gardens.
The 2021 Western Drought: What to Expect as Conditions Worsen
June 4, 2021 | post
The American West has entered another drought crisis, with nearly the entire region (97 percent) facing abnormally dry conditions and over 70 percent of the region already in severe drought. State and local leaders are making emergency declarations. Water allocations are being slashed. We are already seeing fish die-offs and domestic wells running dry — and the dry season is just beginning.
May 2021 Newsletter
May 28, 2021 | announcement
The monthly newsletter features the Pacific Institute’s research, publications, news about past and upcoming Institute staff outreach efforts, and media coverage of its work and analysis.
New Guide Provides Steps to Set Corporate Enterprise Water Targets
May 24, 2021 | announcement
May 24, 2021, Oakland, California -- The CEO Water Mandate, along with partners World Resources Institute, the Pacific Institute, CDP, The Nature Conservancy, and WWF today released a new guide on setting water targets at the enterprise level, intended to help companies do their part to address shared water challenges—and to focus their efforts in the right high-priority places.
Setting Enterprise Water Targets: A Guide for Companies
May 24, 2021 | publication
The complexity of global water challenges requires meaningful action across sectors, including the business sector. A critical aspect of business engagement in successful water stewardship is setting water targets that address the shared water challenges in the water basins where a company operates, sources, and provides goods and services, and that enable actions that reduce or eliminate the associated water risks.
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