Center hosted at U of A wins $7.4M grant to address regional climate issues

The Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, which is hosted at the University of Arizona, has received a multimillion-dollar grant to fund practical solutions to high-priority climate adaptation needs.

The U.S. Geological Survey is giving the center, which is part of the UA’s Arizona Institute for Resilience, $7.4 million for the task.

“What I’m really excited about is the type of science that we’ll do, which is what we call ‘engaged and actionable science’ with community members,” said Jia Hu, a professor in the UA’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment who serves as director of the center. “We identify partners from the very beginning, and this ensures that the science we conduct is not only usable but is provided in a format that the stakeholder can actually use it in.”

The Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center is a collaborative partnership featuring seven academic institutions across the Southwest, including Northern Arizona University and UCLA.

Addressing climate issues in the Southwest is especially important due to the ecological diversity of the region, which houses deserts, mountains, forest and coastlines. The climate is particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures, increased flooding and extreme wildfires since it is the hottest and driest area in the country.

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The center was established in 2011 and aims to “develop actionable science and implementable climate adaptation solutions in partnership with natural and cultural resource managers, policy makers, Native Nations and researchers across the Southwest,” according to the organization.

The center is “well-positioned to address the climate needs of tribes,” said Michael Kotutwa Johnson, a Hopi farmer and faculty member in the UA’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

The leadership at the center and across the partner universities, including the UA, help tribes with their climate needs, he added.

The leadership at the UA celebrated the funding news, as well.

“The University of Arizona is a leader in climate science and climate solutions at a time when climate change-related issues are among the most pressing challenges we face as a society,” said outgoing university President Robert C. Robbins. “The work being done by the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center will have real, critical impact on people’s lives, especially those living in the desert Southwest.”