Goal

The goal of the Emerging Environmental Challenges Program is to identify environmental issues that may pose challenges to Cal/EPA boards and departments over the next five to ten years.

Significance of the program

By generating information on possible future issues, as well as by promoting future-oriented thinking in California’s environmental protection efforts, the program will enhance Cal/EPA’s ability to take proactive efforts to protect public health and environmental quality or to be better prepared to effectively address environmental challenges that may arise in the future. Tremendous benefits can be derived from early efforts to prevent the occurrence – or at least to minimize the adverse impacts – of future problems, as well as to take advantage of future opportunities.

Possible emerging environmental challenges are identified through processes that involve collecting ideas and information from individuals within, and external to Cal/EPA. 

As a first step in the program, a scientific workshop was convened in June 1998 to engage environmental science professionals with diverse interests and backgrounds in discussions regarding possible future challenges to the environment.  Other mechanisms for identifying possible future challenges - such as periodic public workshops, literature scanning, soliciting ideas from technical experts, and others - are currently being explored.

Organizing and screening challenges

The information obtained from the identification step is systematically compiled, organized and maintained. 

Keeping track of information gathered by the program will enable Cal/EPA to revisit issues at a future time.  A process for screening and scoring issues is employed to identify issues which merit full characterization.

Characterizing emerging challenges

Selected challenges will be explored in detail as the subject of issue-specific reports.

Among other things, these reports will cover: current information about the issue; the "drivers" affecting the trend, development or event leading to the challenge; possible consequences of the trend, development or event, and their interactions; "indicators" or observable conditions or factors that may signal the emergence of an issue; and potential options for preventing or mitigating potential adverse impacts or for taking advantage of potential opportunities.

Communicating findings

Information collected and generated will be submitted to the Cal/EPA Secretary and the Cal/EPA Executive Officers, Board Chairs and Department Directors.

Information will also be made available to interested external parties in order to stimulate input and feedback and to provide opportunity for public scrutiny.