SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered state agencies to begin preparing for the projected impacts of global warming on California's economy, people and natural resources.
The executive order calls on state officials to develop a "comprehensive climate adaption strategy" to cope with rising sea levels, higher temperatures, increased flooding, changing precipitation patterns and more extreme weather events.
The governor ordered the state agencies to study how sea level rise will affect California's water supply, infrastructure and natural resources, then develop guidelines for new projects on coastal and floodplain areas.
The order came a day after a UC Berkeley study was released that found that global warming could cost the state as much as $23 billion a year in damage to public and private property, such as homes, ports, bridges and power plants.
