BILL NUMBER: AJR 26	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 14, 2010

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 amended, Chesbro. Climate change.
   This measure would request the Congress of the United States to
establish a comprehensive framework  and funding 
 , including dedicated funding,  for  natural
resources adaptation for the protection and conservation of 
 adapting  our nation's wildlife, habitats, coasts,
watersheds, rivers, and other natural resources and ecosystems
 in the face   to the impacts  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  dedicated  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, Natural resources climate change adaptation
projects, including invasive species removal, wetlands restoration,
riparian and other habitat restoration, removal of unused logging
roads, and wildfire protection, are labor intensive and will create
new jobs; and 
   WHEREAS, A comprehensive federal framework and  dedicated
 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 
 , including dedicated funding,  for  natural
resources adaptation for the protection and conservation of 
 adapting  our nation's wildlife, habitats, coasts,
watersheds, rivers, and other natural resources and ecosystems
 in the face   to the impacts  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.