Climate Impacts on the Pacific Northwest

Winter Quarter 2009
ATMS 585A / ENVIR 585A / ESS 585A / SMA 585A
Amy Snover & Nathan Mantua

White Paper Assignment

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• Purpose
• Audience
• Group Work
• Prospectus
• Format & Content of the Paper
• Format & Content of the Oral Presentation
• Evaluation Criteria
• Self-Evaluation of Group Work
• Additional Resources

Purpose

For the climate impacts term project, you will work in a group to develop a climate vulnerability and adaptation assessment for a real-world jurisdiction (management and/or policy-making body) in the Pacific Northwest. In this project, your team will take the role of a consultant to the jurisdiction, that is, analyzing and discussing options and trade-offs. You will recommend a course of action while providing enough information for your client to decide whether they agree with you.

Specifically, we expect you to assess and describe the utility of using one or more of the following types of climate information:

• seasonal to interannual climate forecasts,
• current understanding of range of regional natural climate variability, and/or
• projected anthropogenic climate change.

Audience

Write your paper as if it were being submitted to your identified client.

Group Work

You will be assigned to an interdisciplinary group of 3-4 students for this project.

Prospectus

A brief (<= 1 page) discussion of your proposed topic is due April 30. We ask that each group of students arrange a time to meet with us to discuss your proposed topic prior to submitting the prospectus. The prospectus should include as much information as you can about (1) the natural resource decision-making context, including information about why climate information might be valuable to planning/decision making, (2) the anticipated role of climate information in this decision, and (3) key sources that you intend to draw on in your research.

Format & Content of the Paper

For the most part, the white paper should be written as if it would actually be submitted to the people who could make the change you propose. You may need to include some additional background information (on the agency/decision in question, for example) that the instructors would need to understand the paper.

The white paper itself should be 10-15 pages long (including figures, tables, and references). It should include a one page executive summary. Think of this, and your in-class presentation, as a chance to boil your argument and the supporting evidence down to its most convincing essence – oftentimes, the executive summary is all that a policymaker will read. Does it contain all the information you need to convince your client?

Each white paper should include the following components of analysis:

• A characterization of your client's decision-making environment and management and policy-making limits and responsibilities
• A list of your client's primary “pre-climate” vulnerabilities and issues of concern (as previously perceived/identified by your client and/or others)
• A climate sensitivity assessment (based on information about natural climate variations/available climate forecasts OR climate change projections for your client's region, likely climate impacts in that region, and an analysis of the sensitivity of your client's planning areas to those climate impacts)
• A climate adaptability assessment (an assessment of your client's ability to adapt to the relevant climate impacts)
• A climate change vulnerability (risk) assessment (based on your analysis of the consequences, magnitude and probability of climate impacts, as well as your evaluation of your client's risk tolerance and community values)
• A climate preparedness planning proposal, which will include:
• A list of (all) potential adaptation options
• A discussion of budget constraints, political and jurisdictional constraints
• A proposed prioritization of planning areas for action and specific climate adaptation strategies

Some other questions to consider: Are there specific barriers that must be overcome before improved or innovative use of climate information is possible? How do you propose that your client overcome them? Are there consequences to ignoring climate information?

Format & Content of the Oral Presentation

You should begin by providing your classmates sufficient background information about your client for them to assume the role of your client during your presentation. You will then make your presentation as if it directly to your client. Both your classmates and the instructors will evaluate the soundness and convincingness of your proposal and will provide feedback that should be incorporated in your final paper.

Criteria for Evaluation of Final Paper

Please present a clear, focused, well-developed and substantiated argument; write clearly and carefully; and get the facts right. A quality paper:

• is on a topic of interest or importance to managers in the region and is directed to those in the decision-making body who could make or implement the change you propose
• includes a one-page executive summary
• has analytical depth
• is clear, fun to read, well-organized and presented
• has been edited and substantially revised at least once.

Self-Evaluation of Group Work

On the due date of the white paper, each team member must turn in a written statement evaluating the work done in his/her group. The guidelines for this evaluation can be found here.

Each team's project will be graded as a whole. The grade given to each team member may be scaled based on how they were evaluated by their teammates.

Additional Resources

We will be happy to provide feedback at any stage of the project, from engaging in discussions and/or brainstorming sessions to commenting on drafts.