The original Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance document was unanimously adopted for use by the Coastal Commission on Wednesday, August 12, 2015. It provides an overview of the best available science on sea level rise for California and recommended methodology for addressing sea level rise in Coastal Commission planning and regulatory actions. It is intended to serve as a multi-purpose resource for a variety of audiences and includes a high level of detail on many subjects. Since the document is not specific to a particular geographic location or development intensity, readers should view the content as a menu of options to use only if relevant, rather than a checklist of required actions.
On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, the Coastal Commission unanimously adopted a Science Update to the Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance. The science-focused changes reflect recent scientific studies and statewide guidance that update our understanding of best available science on sea level rise projections relevant to California. Other sections of the Guidance remain unchanged.
The Coastal Commission has released a public review draft of the latest update to the Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance. Updates address three main topic areas: 1) evolving best available science, consistent with the California State Sea Level Rise Guidance update (2024) (updates in yellow); 2) integration of environmental justice principles and planning considerations related to sea level rise (EJ updates to SLR Policy Guidance) (updates in blue); and 3) guidelines related to SB 272 (Laird, 2023), which requires local governments to incorporate sea level rise plans as part of new or updated Local Coastal Programs (updates in green). The Draft Update will be introduced at the August Commission meeting (focusing on science and SB 272 updates) and the September Commission meeting (focusing on EJ updates) before an anticipated adoption later in the Fall. The public review period will close on September 23, 2024. Comments can be sent to StatewidePlanning@coastal.ca.gov.
The Ocean Protection Council recently released two reports that update our understanding of sea level rise science and best practices for planning for and addressing anticipated impacts. The first of these reports, Rising Seas in California: An Update on Sea-Level Rise Science, synthesizes recent evolving research on sea level rise science, and forms the foundation for the second report, the State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance: 2018 Update. The 2018 OPC State SLR Guidance provides higher level recommendations for how to plan for and address sea level rise impacts, notably including a set of projections recommended for use in planning, permitting, investment, and other decisions.
A set of focused updates for the Coastal Commission SLR Policy Guidance was developed to reflect the updated best available science. These updates include the following.
For questions on the Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance, please reach out to SLRGuidanceDocument@coastal.ca.gov. Announcements will also be shared via the Sea Level Rise Mailing List, which can be subscribed to by completing the form below.
