Results for LAW 805X: Policy Practicum: Evaluation of Water Planning and Climate Science in California

(Formerly Law 414X) Students in this policy lab will work with the Union of Concerned Scientists to assess the climate assumptions and projections underlying California water planning. Water planning, including decisions about future infrastructure, water use, and water allocation, must account for decades long time scales. Decisions made now will certainly be impacted by the effects of climate change. While many local, state and federal agencies have devoted significant energy and resources to integrating climate change into water planning, California does not have a consistent approach or set of methodologies for doing so. Although water planning is not always conducive to a one size fits all approach, it is important to understand the rationales behind different approaches to incorporating climate change into water planning. This is critical in order to evaluate their effectiveness in meeting legislative, regulatory, and planning objectives, and to ensure the state's various water planning decisions fit together. Students will conduct a comparative analysis of the ways in which climate change is (or is not) taken into account in the variety of water planning documents developed and used in California. This type of analysis is needed in order to assess the impacts of the current methods of incorporating climate science information in water resources planning efforts. In addition, students will develop recommendations to improve the incorporation of climate science into California's water planning processes. By analyzing key pieces of water planning legislation, regulation and guidance material, students will investigate how climate change assumptions and projections are incorporated into water planning and management decisions. This will include examining any legal requirements (through legislation or regulation) to incorporate climate science or projections, and identifying the key climate assumptions or projections that agencies have actually used in water planning decisions or documents. Students will perform more detailed analysis of the planning documents (where applicable) developed under each piece of legislation to assess 1) whether plans meet the legislative requirements for incorporating climate change, 2) the consistency of plans developed in accordance with the same legislation, and 3) the range of technical approaches used across agencies and programs. The class, through the participation of students from relevant departments or outside experts, may also seek to assess whether specific planning decisions are relying on the best and most appropriate climate science. Students will prepare individual papers and work together to convert those papers into a report to be used by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Students may participate in either or both quarters of the class, although we will give an enrollment preference to students who wish to enroll in both quarters. Students wishing to undertake R credit, will perform additional research and writing and may serve as project managers for a formal white paper analyzing the issues. R credit is possible only by consent of the instructor. After the term begins, students accepted into the course can transfer from section (01) into section (02), which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Participation in class and projects; final paper. -- NOTE: Students may not count more than a combined total of eight units of directed research projects and policy lab practica toward graduation unless the additional counted units are approved in advance by the Petitions Committee. Such approval will be granted only for good cause shown. Even in the case of a successful petition for additional units, a student cannot receive a letter grade for more than eight units of independent research (Policy Lab practicum, Directed Research, Directed Writing, Senior Thesis, and/or Research Track). Any units taken in excess of eight will be graded on a mandatory pass basis. For detailed information, see "Directed Research/Policy Labs" in the SLS Student Handbook. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available on the SLS website (Click Courses at the bottom of the homepage and then click Consent of Instructor Forms). See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline.