TRUCKEE, CA. — October 23, 2026 — California has released its Fifth Climate Change Assessment, providing new climate science, projections, and research to help communities, policymakers, and regional leaders prepare for the impacts of climate change. Sierra Business Council (SBC) served as a Lead Author of the assessment’s Sierra Nevada regional chapter, contributing regional expertise to a statewide effort to inform climate resilience and adaptation.

The assessment brings together scientific research and updated climate projections to support informed decision-making across California. Its regional and statewide findings are intended to help communities better understand climate-related risks and identify opportunities to prepare for future conditions.

For the Sierra Nevada, climate change has implications for the natural systems, infrastructure, water resources, and local economies on which communities depend. The regional chapter offers an important resource for understanding these challenges and informing strategies that strengthen the region’s resilience.

“What happens in the Sierra has implications far beyond our region,” said Steve Frisch, President of Sierra Business Council. “From the water that supports millions of Californians to the forests, communities, and economies that make this region so important, we have a shared interest in understanding and preparing for a changing climate. This assessment gives communities, policymakers, and regional partners the science they need to plan ahead, prioritize investments, and work together on solutions that strengthen resilience across the Sierra.”

As a regional convener and cross-sector partner, Sierra Business Council works at the intersection of economic development, climate action, and community resilience. The organization brings together public agencies, businesses, community organizations, and other regional partners to advance solutions that support both the Sierra’s long-term health and the communities that call it home.

The Fifth Climate Change Assessment provides an important foundation for this work, helping connect the latest scientific understanding with the planning, collaboration, and investments needed to prepare for a changing climate.

Explore the assessment

The full list of authors and contributors to the Sierra Nevada Chapter are as follows:

Coordinating Lead Author
Safeeq Khan, University of California, Merced

Lead Authors
Tapan Pathak, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Kaeleigh Reynolds, Sierra Business Council

Contributing Authors
Leander Anderegg, University of California, Santa Barbara
Logan Bremer-Kelly, Sierra Business Council
Sarah Campe, Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Brent Campos, Point Blue
Abhishek Chakraborty, University of California, Merced
Laurie Huning, California State University, Long Beach
Prakash Jha, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Cody Reed, Point Blue
Anna Trugman, University of California, Santa Barbara
Alyssa Whitaker, California Department of Water Resources
Aaron Wilcher, University of California Agriculture and  Natural Resources

Technical Advisors
Christy Brigham, The Nature Conservancy
Adrian Das, United States Geological Survey
Mike Dettinger, United States Geological Survey (retired)
Thomas Harmon, University of California, Merced
Patricia N. Manley, United States Forest Service

Community Advisors
John Wentworth, Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation
Jenny Hatch, Sierra Nevada Alliance
Liesbet Olaerts, Sierra Nevada Alliance

Tribal Advisors
Dean Tonenna, Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe
Raymond Gutteriez, Wuksachi Indian Tribe
Christina McDonald, North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians
Brian Wallace, Washoe and Nisenan

Associate Editor
David Herbst, University of California, Santa Barbara

About Sierra Business Council

Founded in 1994, Sierra Business Council strengthens the interconnected systems of community, climate, and economy across the Sierra Nevada. Through regional collaboration, policy engagement, and cross-sector partnerships, SBC works to increase resilience in Sierra communities and advance solutions that benefit the region and California as a whole.