The Commission owns and manages millions of acres of sovereign lands and resources that it holds in trust subject to the common law Public Trust Doctrine. If unaddressed, sea level rise can have catastrophic consequences for these lands and resources. The Commission works hard to facilitate sea level rise preparedness, with an emphasis on protecting California’s public trust lands and the public’s right to access and enjoy these lands. The Commission partners with the Legislature and federal, state, and local agencies to stay at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise on the lands and natural resources entrusted to its care.
Latest News
Shoreline Adaptation and the Public Trust: Protecting California’s Public Trust Resources from Sea Level Rise
This report was developed to guide analysis and decision-making for leasing shoreline protection...
State Releases Draft California Climate Adaptation Strategy
The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), in partnership with the Governor's Office of...
Additional Resources for Addressing Sea Level Rise
While not exhaustive, this list contains some useful resources for the analysis and evaluation of...
Coastal Commission Introduces Sea Level Rise Story Map
The California Coastal Commission has released a new sea level rise story map that will enable...
State Lands Commission adopts principles for aligned state action to make California’s coast resilient to sea level rise
Sacramento, Calif.—The State Lands Commission adopted “Making California’s Coast Resilient to Sea...
Memorandum of Understanding between the State Lands Commission & the Coastal Commission
The Commission and the California Coastal Commission have a new memorandum of understanding to...
AB 691 - Proactively Planning for Sea Level Rise Impacts
AB 691 (Muratsuchi) Chapter 592, Statutes of 2013, involves sea level rise and granted public trust lands. Assessing the impacts of sea level rise on these lands is a management priority for grantees.
Mapping Tools and Resources
Resources for analysis and evaluation of impacts related to sea level rise.
- Sea Level Rise in California: Preparing for the Future
- State Lands Commission Sea-Level Rise Viewer
- NOAA Digital Coast Sea Level Rise Viewer
- Our Coast, Our Future
- Surging Seas Risk Finder
- Additional Resources for Addressing Sea Level Rise
Includes maps and GIS layers, surveys, studies, and assessments
Interagency Coordination
Commission staff contributes to state and regional efforts to prepare and adapt to sea level rise. Staff is a member of several interagency workgroups and initiatives, including:
- Coastal and Ocean Resources Working Group for the Climate Action Team
- California Collaborative on Coastal Resilience
- California Sea Level Rise State and Regional Support Collaborative (created by SB 1 (2022)).