Regional Climate Adaptation Framework
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) developed the Regional Climate Adaptation Framework (Framework) to assist local and regional jurisdictions in managing the negative impacts of climate change. The Framework provides an overview of how the Southern California region can work together to plan and prepare for the impacts of sea level rise, extreme heat, increasingly frequent and damaging wildfires, and other climate-related issues. With the impacts of severe climate hazards and issues already being felt, adaptation planning is necessary to help individuals, communities, and natural systems cope with the unavoidable consequences of a changing climate. The Framework was developed over a two-year period, beginning in February 2019 and ending in February 2021.
SCAG worked with local municipalities, advocacy groups, universities, and other stakeholders to assess the unique issues affecting the SCAG region, available planning tools and resources, scientific data, and messaging strategies. Many local jurisdictions do not have the resources to adequately assess their local hazards, develop effective adaptation plans, and participate in regional planning efforts – our framework provides jurisdictions with a roadmap to adaptation in an effort to help build a more resilient Southern California.
SCAG developed the Southern California Climate Adaptation Planning Guide as a resource for local planning that describes the range of climate change hazards the SCAG region is likely to face in the coming decades.
It also describes adaptation principles geared to the region and outlines a general process of adaptation planning that can be applied by any agency, no matter where they fall across the spectrums of funding, available resources, knowledge of vulnerabilities, and planning sophistication. It provides member agencies, including towns, cities, counties, and subregional organizations, with a compendium of tools, resources, and best practices to efficiently advance their adaptation planning using the best resources available.
The project was funded by the Caltrans Adaptation Planning grant program.
California State Budget Reduces Barriers to Housing Production and Extends Deadline for Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) Program
Earlier this week, the governor signed the 2025-2026 state budget, which includes a suite of reforms to reduce barriers to housing production.
Connect SoCal 2024 Implementation Update: Sustainable Communities Strategy Accepted
On May 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) informed SCAG that it had accepted SCAG’s determination that the Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) meets CARB’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets.
General Assembly Elects 2025-26 Board Officers
The General Assembly voted to approve the nominations for the SCAG 2025-26 Regional Council officers as recommended by the Regional Council: Hon. Cindy Allen (City of Long Beach) will serve as 2025-26 Regional Council president; Hon. Ray Marquez (City of Chino Hills) will serve as Regional Council first vice president; and Hon. Jenny Crosswhite (City of Santa Paula) will serve as Regional Council second vice president. Leadership also recognized Hon.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Call for Project Nominations Now Open
The federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) SCAG online application opened for all eligible applicants on March 31. This application will be available through May 16 at 5 p.m.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Guidelines Now Available
On March 6, the SCAG Regional Council approved the federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) Program Guidelines.
