The Commission owns and manages millions of acres of sovereign lands and resources that it holds in trust subject to the common law Public Trust Doctrine. If unaddressed, sea-level rise can have catastrophic consequences for these lands and resources. The Commission works hard to facilitate sea-level rise preparedness, with an emphasis on protecting California’s public trust lands and the public’s right to access and enjoy these lands. The Commission partners with the Legislature and federal, state, and local agencies to stay at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impacts of sea-level rise on the lands and natural resources entrusted to its care.
Latest News
Coastal Commission Introduces Sea-Level Rise Story Map
The California Coastal Commission has released a new sea-level rise story map that will enable members of the public to take a visual stroll through various concepts and ideas and to dive deeper into the impacts of sea-level rise in California. The story map will also...
State Lands Commission adopts principles for aligned state action to make California’s coast resilient to sea-level rise
Sacramento, Calif. – The State Lands Commission adopted “Making California’s Coast Resilient to Sea-Level Rise: Principles for Aligned State Action” today.
Memorandum of Understanding between the State Lands Commission & the Coastal Commission
The Commission and the California Coastal Commission have a new memorandum of understanding to improve coordination and collaboration. This collaboration is especially important at a time when California is leading efforts to curb climate change and adapt to sea-level...
The Commission has released its own Sea-Level Rise Viewer
The Commission has released its own Sea-Level Rise Viewer, an interactive web mapping application to assist users with understanding the risks and impacts to Public Trust lands and resources. The viewer contains data about the Commission’s leases, coastal county and...
State Lands Commission’s Sea-Level Rise Viewer featured by NOAA
The comprehensive, interactive viewer was created to help agency staff members and lessee partners understand potential risks to infrastructure, natural habitats, and coastal communities from sea-level rise.
AB 691 - Proactively Planning for Sea-Level Rise Impacts
AB 691 (Muratsuchi) Chapter 592, Statutes of 2013, involves sea-level rise impacts on granted public trust lands. Assessing the impacts of sea-level rise for public trust lands is a management priority for local trustees. Trustees with annual gross revenue from their trust lands that exceed $250,000 are required to prepare and submit to the Commission, by July 1, 2019, an assessment of how they propose to address sea-level rise.
Mapping Tools & Resources
Resources for analysis and evaluation of impacts related to sea-level rise.
- Sea-Level Rise in California: Preparing for the Future
- State Lands Commission Sea-Level Rise Viewer
- NOAA Digital Coast Sea Level Rise Viewer
- Our Coast, Our Future
- Surging Seas Risk Finder
- Additional Resources for Addressing Sea-Level Rise
(including maps and GIS layers, surveys, studies, and assessments)
Interagency Coordination
Commission staff contributes to state and regional efforts to prepare and adapt to sea-level rise. Staff is a member of several interagency workgroups and initiatives, including the Coastal and Ocean Resources Working Group for the Climate Action Team, the State Coastal Leadership Group on Sea-Level Rise, and the California Collaborative on Coastal Resilience. Staff also serves on the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and contributes to BCDC’s efforts to develop strategies to address regional sea-level rise and improve preparedness.