Meeting the Needs of Challenging Times

The County of Santa Cruz must create a more resilient community in the face of impacts from global climate change that are already being felt in the form of drought, wildfire and severe storm events, as well as continuing sea level rise. Earthquakes are also an ever-present danger. Our aging infrastructure may be inadequate to meet future challenges and there is an urgent need to address both housing unaffordability and social inequity.

The County is a global leader in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment. However, these measures alone are not enough to protect our community from climate change impacts to our forests, watersheds, coastal bluffs, beaches and habitat. We must focus more intently on the initiatives outlined in our Climate Action Strategy. Proactive planning will prepare our community for natural disasters and changing weather patterns and help limit the economic impacts from catastrophic natural disasters.

The Resilience Team is primarily responsible for implementing the County’s Climate Action Strategy and advancing initiatives and programs in accordance with the County’s Sustainability General Plan and Strategic Plan goals.