California Coastal Commission Sea Level Rise Policy Adopted Guidance

The California Coastal Commission’s Adopted Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance offers an overview of the best available science on sea-level rise for California, coastal adaptation strategies, and recommended methodology for addressing sea-level rise in Coastal Commission planning and regulatory actions. The California Coastal Commission, in partnership with coastal cities and counties, plans and regulates the use of land and water in the coastal zone. The Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance was first released in 2015, amended with a Science Update in 2018, and amended again with an update in 2024. The new update reflects the best available science on sea-level rise, implements new legislation in the form of Senate Bill 272 (2023), and integrates environmental justice principles. 

The potential impacts of sea-level rise fall directly within the Coastal Commission’s (and coastal zone local governments’) planning and regulatory responsibilities under  California’s Coastal Act. The Coastal Act mandates the protection of public access and recreation along the coast, coastal habitats, and other sensitive resources, as well as providing priority visitor-serving and coastal-dependent or coastal-related development while simultaneously minimizing risks from coastal hazards. This Guidance document has been created to help planners, project applicants, and other interested parties continue to achieve these goals in the face of sea-level rise by addressing its effects in Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) and Coastal Development Permits (CDPs).

This report includes updates to reflect updated projections from the 2024 Ocean Protection Council (OPC) State SLR Guidance, which incorporates findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report (2021) and NOAA’s 2022 sea-level rise scenarios. These updates replace previously issued sea-level rise projections for California’s coastal tide gauge locations and revise associated tables, background material, and technical appendices accordingly. It also updates information on the use of sea-level rise scenarios in predicting impacts and in adaptation planning.

The Guidance integrates requirements from Senate Bill 272, which mandates that local governments within the coastal zone incorporate a certified sea-level rise plan as part of new or updated Local Coastal Programs by January 1, 2034. To fulfill this statutory obligation, the revised Guidance modifies its planning framework, particularly in Chapter 5, to delineate how jurisdictions should conduct vulnerability assessments, identify adaptation strategies, analyze economic impacts to critical infrastructure, and establish update timelines as outlined by the legislation. Chapter 5 includes new summaries at the end of each planning step to explicitly map those steps to comply with SB 272 requirements.

The update introduces integration of environmental justice throughout the document. While the 2018 Guidance and the Commission’s 2019 Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy acknowledged EJ issues, the 2024 update provides expanded, actionable guidance. Supported by a Coastal Zone Management Act Section 309 grant, the Commission convened an advisory group of experts to inform this work. The Guidance now includes a new principle in Chapter 2 calling for the identification and mitigation of disproportionate burdens on EJ communities, alongside additions emphasizing tribal consultation and coordination with local governments. Revised sections in Chapters 5, 6, and 7 detail how to identify EJ communities and how to characterize their historic and ongoing environmental burdens. It directs local governments and applicants to develop meaningful engagement plans and consider disproportionate impacts when selecting adaptation strategies. Finally, Appendix C was updated with additional EJ-related resources. 

 

Publication Date: November 13, 2024

Related Organizations:

  • California Coastal Commission

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  • Agency guidance/policy
  • Assessment

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