Santa Barbara County Regional Climate Collaborative launched to address climate threats
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Following the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow incidents, a group of local agencies have launched the Santa Barbara County Regional Climate Collaborative and are inviting other stakeholders to participate. according to a news release from the county.
The Collaborative seeks to bring political leaders, practitioners and stakeholders together to coordinate and accelerate solutions to addressing the region’s climate challenges.
The Board of Supervisors has provided startup funds for two years to form the Collaborative.
Interested stakeholders can apply at sbco.mysocialpinpoint.com/sbcollaborative.
Sea level rise that could reach almost 2 feet by 2050 already threatens a majority of the South Coast’s iconic beaches and bluffs, according to the news release.
The Collaborative builds on existing collaborations.
In 2019, the County of Santa Barbara and the cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria prepared Strategic Energy Plans to increase energy efficiency and local renewable energy.
The County is also supporting the Community Environmental Council in hosting a series of Climate Resilience Roundtables, covering the six primary climate hazards identified by the California’s Fourth Climate Assessment.
The new collaborative will also enable the region to attract additional investments as California state agencies turn their attention to regional approaches.
The Santa Barbara County Regional Climate Collaborative joins eight existing regional climate collaboratives in California, including the Central Coast Climate Collaborative that spans from Santa Cruz to Ventura County.
