Ice, Snow and Water: Impacts of Climate Change on California and Himalayan Asia

UC San Diego’s Sustainability Solutions Institute, in collaboration with the University of
Cambridge, convened a workshop from May 4 – 6, 2009 at the UCSD campus where experts from
Himalayan Asian regional centers based in India, Nepal and China compared their observed
trends, long-range predictions and policies for regional climate and water resources with those of
California.

The three-day workshop, funded by a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, brought
together these experts in order to identify key scientific questions, technological questions and
possibilities, and new or lacking sources of data related to water availability from mountain snows
and glaciers in Himalayan Asia and California.  

The first two days of the workshop were devoted to an assessment of the present and future
impacts of climate change and air pollution on water availability in California, the Himalayas,
and similar regions.  A particular emphasis was put on data adequacy, integration, and availability,
and the reliability of predictive models for decision-making.  The five plenary panels and two
breakout groups were devoted to discussions on how to promote science-based decision-making
and the creation of an international framework for regional water availability assessments in
conditions of climate change.  

The workshop resulted in a conference declaration issued on May 6, 2009, which states that
melting glaciers, weakening monsoon rains, less mountain snowpack and other effects of a
warmer climate will lead to significant disruptions in the supply of water to highly populated regions
of the world, especially near the Himalayas in Asia and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of the
western United States.
   

Conference Declaration
Conference Materials
Workshop Video

Conference Report coming soon!

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Media Coverage:

May 17, 2009:
"Scientists declare future of California’s water supply" featured by the San Diego News Network

May 13, 2009:
"Scientists Urge Global Action to Preserve Water Supplies for Billions Worldwide" featured by UCSD News

May 9, 2009:      
"Himalayas Losing Snow Cover" featured by The Brunei Times        

May 7, 2009:
"Ice, Snow and Water: Impacts of Climate Change on California and Himalayan Asia" featured by the Union Tribune