Last Friday I provided testimony on behalf of Audubon California at an Informational Hearing on "Bay Area Regional Adaptation Efforts to Climate Change Impacts" at the Oakland City Council. Senator Bob Wieckowski, the Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, convened experts from academia, government agencies, and nonprofits to discuss climate change impacts and adaptation efforts in the Bay Area. The hearing provided an opportunity for the committee and the public to learn about initiatives to prepare for impacts from climate change.

During the public comment portion of the hearing, I thanked the Committee for emphasizing the work non-profits are doing to reduce carbon emissions and help communities adapt to climate change. I also stressed that protecting habitat for birds, like the climate endangered Yellow-billed Magpie, will help wildlife be more resilient to changes in California's climate and will also improve local air quality, reduce heat-island effects in urban areas and provide open space for communities to recreate and keep healthy. Similar hearings are scheduled for the Central Valley (Fresno) and southern California (Los Angeles). We will provide updates on the dates and details when they become available and let you know how you can be a voice for birds on climate change and other important issues.

(photo of the Yellow-billed Magpie by Andrew Reding/Flickr Creative Commons)