The Trusts
Why 10 years?
Why 10 years?
Why 10 years?
Why 10 years?
The Solution
West Coast Ocean Science
Action Agenda
The Action Agenda will establish a 10-year detailed suite of strategies, needed funding, and timeline to address existing, emerging, and complex West Coast ocean and coastal issues, convening and engaging key policymakers, agencies, Tribes, academic leaders, scientists, and potential funders. Moving beyond a list of questions and needs, the Action Agenda will articulate research and monitoring priorities, and the aligned public-private investments in infrastructure, technology, and workforce development that is necessary to deliver on those priorities.
Click here for a short 2-pager on the initiative.
Click on the FAQ image or here for Frequently Asked Questions about the Agenda.
Why 10 years?
The issues facing the West Coast ocean and coast are extensive and will take time and long-term sustained funding to address. Developing a 10-year game plan doesn't mean the bulk of strategies in the science agenda will be implemented or delayed until the last 2 years. Rather, because of the investments that are needed to address the vast issues facing our ocean and coast, we'll need to spread those investments out over 10 years, prioritizing the most significant issues, locations, and research and monitoring for strategic investments. And the agenda will be refreshed as it nears its decadal conclusion to ensure the following decade address the priority issues of the time.
Each of the West Coast states are doing as much as they can given existing resources. Why create something new?
There are positive ocean and coastal initiatives happening in each state. Despite these efforts, ocean health is trending in the wrong direction. We have one ocean, one California Current, and one West Coast coastline, and most of the issues each state is attempting to address are similar - sea level rise, storm surge, dead zones, ocean acidification, fisheries health, marine debris . . . Working together and speaking with one voice is intended to drive resources to the region, amplifying individual state efforts.
This is a big initiative. Are there any other examples of large-scale regional initiatives that are driving, or have successfully driven, resources to the initiative?
Yes, there are numerous examples. Here's two:
-
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan, which seeks to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world. The initiative recently developed the 4th iteration of their action plan.
-
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, which studies the impacts of an oil spill on the environment and public health in the Gulf of Mexico.
What is it going to take to get something like this implemented?
It will take all of us working collectively to speak with one unified voice about the need to prioritize strategic investments in West Coast ocean and coastal issues. Together, we can make a difference.
How will we measure success?
Each strategy in the Action Agenda will feed into a suite of performance metrics to evaluate success as the Agenda is implemented. Taking this approach will allow us to learn as we implement, making course corrections as the Agenda is updated.