The report, “Planning For Climate Change In The West” by Rebecca Carter and Susan Culp, was released by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Feb. 3.
The arid landscapes of the west are characterized by dramatic fluctuations in water and energy resources, land use patterns, economy, and a climate known for its extremes, the report says. Climate change impacts are expected to “wreak particular havoc” on the region, yet political and cultural barriers make it difficult to mitigate or adapt.
Drought, heat waves, diminished mountain snowpack, earlier snowmelt, catastrophic wildfires, and other disruptions to natural processes and wildlife habitat are projected by researchers.
Colorado River Drying Up
Land use planning is deeply entwined with water availability in the region, because the area relies on runoff from mountain watersheds to support agriculture and industry and to fuel urban growth, the report said.
The Colorado River, flowing from the central Rocky Mountains through the Grand Canyon to Mexico, is managed to support major metropolitan areas, including Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.
It also irrigates more than 900,000 acres in both the Colorado River Basin and adjoining river basins, according to the Colorado River Water Users Association. In recent years, exploding population growth, rising water demand, and drought conditions have strained these water resources, and the river no longer reaches the Gulf of California.
Lack of Coordination
The report found that although most Western states and many cities and towns are developing their own climate plans there is a widespread lack of coordination between states and localities, a lack of resources, and a diminished sense of the ability to contribute.
Communities will either try to reduce or mitigate the impacts of these changes by decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, or adapt after the fact by handling climate change impacts as best they can, the report says. The rate at which the disruptive effects hit may determine which course of action communities take.
Rural communities, in particular, appear to be lagging behind in aggressive planning strategies to reduce GHG’s.
“State and federal initiatives are important, but mitigation and adaptation will only happen if implemented on the ground, locally,” said Armando Carbonell, senior fellow and chairman of the Department of Planning and Urban Form at the Lincoln Institute.
But skepticism that climate change is a problem is rife in many communities, according to a survey report co-author and project manager of Western Lands and Communities, Susan Culp, carried out with almost 50 government staff and elected officials in the region. Western Lands and Communities is a joint venture of the Sonoran Institute and the Lincoln Institute.
“Western planners are emphasizing sustainability or economic efficiency, rather than climate change, in their decisions to manage water supplies, reduce energy consumption, increase transportation efficiency, and protect open space,” said Ms. Culp.
According to the research, a significant number of residents in these communities are unconvinced that climate change is human-caused and they perceive the issue as global and remote.
Lack of Appropriate Climate Science for Planners
A significant barrier to incorporating climate science into local land use planning is the lack of easily digestible information that can be integrated into decisions. The main source of climate change information currently is peer-reviewed scientific literature, which can be narrowly focused and difficult to translate into practical applications.
