99th ESA Annual Meeting (August 10 -- 15, 2014)

SYMP 17

Science Matters: Lessons in Climate Policy Making from California

The interrelated environmental challenges of the 21st century, including climate change, ocean acidification, and expanding human population, offer an unprecedented opportunity to connect science with policy making. Indeed, the incorporation of ecological knowledge into the policy process has important implications for sustaining ecosystems and the services they provide. This symposium explores how science matters in state-level policy making and practice. It focuses on the influence of climate change research on policy formulation and implementation in California, and offers lessons for other states and the US as a whole. Each speaker will 1) present a recent or current California climate policy initiative that has received inputs from the ecological sciences community, and 2) examine how ecological knowledge has been incorporated into policy planning and implementation. Providing continuity throughout the symposium and a seed for discussion at the end, each speaker will also reflect on how policy engagement has impacted his/her professional development. The ultimate goal of the symposium is to increase the involvement and visibility of ecologists in the policy realm and foster positive exchange between these scientists, policymakers, and managers.