Climate Resilience

STAY COOL supports efforts to make our region more resilient to the future impacts of climate change.

Why It Matters
Climate change in San Diego is projected to increase flooding (both coastal and riverine) as well as increase fire risk due to an extended fire season, particularly when Santa Ana Winds are present. These hazardous events will impact multiple sectors. A wildfire can cause large public health concerns with injuries from the fire and air quality, close roads, and disrupt energy transmission and distribution. After the fires, ecosystems need to regrow, the loss of habitat may impact water quality due to erosion, and the filter capacity of the landscape may be altered. Flooding impacts are primarily immediate and include road closures, electricity disruptions, and sedimentation, and water quality issues, as well as impacts to wastewater systems which can cause public health concerns, particularly in the cross-border region. (Source: San Diego Region Report, 2018).

What We Do

• STAY COOL advisors are directly involved in research and policy analysis on climate resilience topics.
• We host forums and webinars on climate resilience issues that will directly affect our communities, such as increased wildfires and flooding, and sea-level rise along our coast.
• We co-sponsor and support the annual San Diego Climate Summit, along with other important conferences and workshops that bring together scientists and policy experts to explore solutions to these problems.