U.S. State Working Group on ocean acidification

Sustaining Momentum on ocean acidification in the united states

The U.S. State Working Group has been formed to advance U.S. leadership on climate-ocean change efforts in 2025 and continue advancing ocean and coastal information that helps governments make better decisions about mitigation, adaptation, and resilience goals.

The U.S. State Working Group will carry forward key themes of interest to states related to:

• Exploring OA’s Role in Climate Change Communication

• Measuring Coastal Acidification as Part of Water Quality Management

• Evaluating and Funding Blue Carbon Habitats

• Developing Risk and Vulnerability Assessments That Account for Climate-Ocean Change

• Engaging in the Federal Policy Landscape

• Engaging in the International Policy Landscape 

Working Group members are offered benefits and engagement pathways such as:

• States learning from and engaging with each other, regionally and nationally, across thematic areas (linking up with a “Sister State”)

• Topical trainings and resources for states to utilize in their state policy and communications work.

• Federal landscape assessments and engagement with partner groups like NGOs or state collaboratives that are working on climate-ocean and coastal policy and communications efforts in the U.S.

• Opportunities to participate in global activities like the UN Decade of Ocean Science, UN Ocean Conference and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

• Access to State-Led Team on the OA Information Exchange. 

Invited state representation from: California, Washington, Oregon, New York, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Alaska and Hawaii. (States that have OA Action Plans or are engaged in related activities). 

Non-state representation from: National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, Ocean Defense Initiative, Aquarium Conservation Partnership, U.S. Climate Alliance, Pew Charitable Trusts, Environmental Council of States, Environmental and Energy Study Institute. 

Science body representation from: U.S. Coastal Acidification Networks in each region.