BILL NUMBER: AJR 26	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Chesbro
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Huffman)
   (Coauthor: Senator Pavley)

                        SEPTEMBER 9, 2009

   Relative to climate change.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 26, as introduced, Chesbro. Climate change.
   This measure would request the Congress of the United States to
establish a comprehensive framework and funding for natural resources
adaptation for the protection and conservation of our nation's
wildlife, habitats, coasts, watersheds, rivers, and other natural
resources and ecosystems in the face of climate change.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, On June 26, 2009, the United States House of
Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of
2009 (H.R. 2454) that includes a comprehensive natural resource
adaptation program and allocates funds to states that adopt a natural
resource adaption plan to address the impacts of climate change on
natural resources within the state's jurisdiction; and
   WHEREAS, Climate change presents the most pressing threat to
California's natural resources in the 21st century; and
   WHEREAS, California's natural resources provide for and protect
the health of our human populations by providing necessary food and
water, flood and erosion barriers, disease control, atmospheric
carbon removal and storage, and many useful products from our oceans,
forests, grasslands, and agricultural landscapes; and
   WHEREAS, California's economy is linked to the health and vitality
of our natural resources, which support the state's valuable
agricultural, outdoor recreation, tourism, and other industries; and
   WHEREAS, Recognizing the need to quickly and significantly address
climate change, the California Legislature passed, and the Governor
signed, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which requires
robust greenhouse gas emission reductions; and
   WHEREAS, Despite the success of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, previous and current emissions have created unavoidable
climate change impacts that threaten our natural resources, human
communities, and economy; and
   WHEREAS, California is experiencing these climate change impacts,
including documented temperature increases, earlier snow melt,
increased wildfire occurrence, sea level rise, rainfall changes,
severe weather, and migration of plant and animal species; and
   WHEREAS, Projected future climate change impacts to California's
natural resources and human health over the next century are dramatic
and include increased climate-related human mortality, destruction
of manmade infrastructure, high intensity wildfires, increased
flooding, increased drought, reduced snowpack, decreased water supply
and quality, altered timing of essential ecosystem functions, food
supply disruption, increased sea level rise, and increased extinction
of fish, wildlife, and plants; and
   WHEREAS, Climate change impact adaptation planning and program
implementation is essential to guard against these catastrophic
natural, human, and economic impacts; and
   WHEREAS, California recognizes the need for cost-effective,
comprehensive action to guard against climate change impacts to our
state's natural resources, human population, and economy and, in
coordination with efforts targeting greenhouse gas mitigation
policies, is developing a statewide climate adaptation strategy to
help the state prepare for these climate change impacts; and
   WHEREAS, A comprehensive federal framework and funding for climate
change adaptation is of special interest to the state because of the
particular threats climate change poses to California's natural
resources, people, and economy; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California
respectfully requests that the Congress of the United States
establish a comprehensive framework and funding for natural resources
adaptation for the protection and conservation of our nation's
wildlife, habitats, coasts, watersheds, rivers, and other natural
resources and ecosystems in the face of climate change; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to each
Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the
United States, to the Secretary of the Interior, to the Secretary of
Agriculture, to the Secretary of Commerce, and to the Administrator
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.