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change. In his excellent book, "High Tide On Main Street", John Englander quotes <br />Admiral David Titley who served as the oceanographer of the U.S Navy until 2012 and <br />has advanced degrees in oceanography as well as meteorology and climatology. Adm. <br />Titley led the Navy's Task Force on Climate Change. Englander writes: "Titley admits <br />that he was skeptical of climate change and the connection to greenhouse gases not <br />too many years ago. By the time he became the Navy's lead person on the issue, he <br />saw the new reality and assertively explained the science to Pentagon and other <br />officials. ...Explaining the many challenges the Navy will face, not the least of which is <br />damage to facilities, he (Titley) wryly observes 'While the ships may float, for some <br />reason we built all our navy bases at sea level. "(4) <br />The world's scientific community, including the United States and the US Department of <br />Defense, are not debating the existence of climate change, it's human origins, or that it <br />is already having devastating effects on all parts of the planet. Rather, authorities <br />around the world are studying impacts, trying to better understand them, their effects <br />and timing, and discussing what appropriate actions should be taken. <br />B. Act locally <br />In May of this year, the United States Global Research Program issued its report on <br />climate change titled the "National Climate Assessment". It includes regional <br />assessments of climate impacts.(5) The "Northwest" regional section of this report was <br />informed by the work of many scientists and scholars including those at the University of <br />Washington Climate Impacts Group (CIG). The CIG has been studying local climate <br />impacts for many years, and in particular, impacts in the Northwest. They are also <br />contributing members to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate <br />Change, considered the definitive international body on climate matters.(6) <br />The "National Climate Assessment" - Northwest regional study, finds climate change is <br />already impacting snowmelt, precipitation, and water supply; creating vulnerabilities <br />related to sea level rise, erosion, ocean acidity, and wildfires; contributing to species <br />migration, insect infestation and forest mortality; and requiring adaptive - and expensive <br />- changes in agriculture ("National Climate Assessment, Section 21 Northwest" is <br />attached as Appendix B). <br />The economic risks of climate change in the United States are documented in a study <br />published in June 2014 entitled "Risky Business". The study was published by a <br />committee co-chaired by Michael Bloomberg (former Mayor of New York), Henry <br />Paulson (former Treasury Secretary under President Bush) and Thomas Steyer (retired <br />founder of Farallon Capital Management). It is worth noting the other committee <br />members for their experience in business, finance and policy. They include: Henry <br />Cisneros (founder and Chair of CityView Capital and former HUD Secretary), Gregory <br />Page (Executive Director and Chairman of Cargill Inc), Robert Rubin (former Treasury <br />Secretary), George Shultz (former Treasury Secretary), Donna Shalala (former <br />Secretary of Health and Human Services), Olympia Snow (former US Senator from <br />Maine), and Dr Alfred Sommer (Dean Emeritus, Bloomberg School of Public Health and <br />professor Johns Hopkins University). <br />3 <br />