Conservation of Living Systems

Capstone

Tackling Climate Adaptation One Region at a Time

Climate change is a complex process resulting in higher temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, glacial retreat, and higher sea levels forecasted throughout the globe. The impacts of these changes vary dramatically from region to region, for example sea level rise threatens Bangladesh and many islands while drought and decreased food security threaten East Africa. As a result, a country-by-country approach is required when planning and adapting for climate change. The best response depends not only on the specific climate-change problems, but also the political system of the country in question, its access to resources, and the opportunities it has for collaborative response. In this capstone project, a group of 12 – 16 students will work with the Nature Conservancy’s Global Office on Climate Adaptation to develop best-practice blueprints for climate adaptation tailored specifically to one of three countries or regions where TNC is focusing its initial energy – Mexico, Mongolia, and California. Students will work closely with the TNC climate adaptation team, led by Jon Hoekstra (based in Seattle), and supported by Josh Tewksbury, UW Biology as faculty mentor. The capstone project will take 2 quarters to complete, and will require extensive cross-disciplinary research ranging from the physical sciences (climate forecasting), the biological sciences (climate impacts on biodiversity, food security), to health sciences (public health, disease transmission), and social sciences (regional economics, regulatory environment, political and social capacity studies).