Informational Webinar on the Draft Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan for Public Comment
2024-09-19 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | CA
Attend an informational webinar on September 19, 2024 at 1pm to learn about the Draft Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP).
The webinar will include a presentation from BCDC staff, followed by an opportunity to ask questions (Q&A).
The webinar will cover:

What the RSAP is and how it advances regional adaptation for the Bay Area;
The roles and responsibilities of local governments in developing Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plans;
An overview of the planning guidelines and standards that support alignment of local-to-regional shoreline adaptation planning; and
The timeline for the RSAP finalization and how to provide public comment.

Register here to attend.

BCDC RSAP Outreach Tour - Webinar #1: Introducing the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP)
2025-06-25 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
This summer, BCDC is hosting a four-part webinar series designed to help you understand how to plan for sea level rise in compliance with the RSAP and SB 272 and how to access the tools and support available to begin planning now. The first webinar in the series will be Webinar #1: Introducing the RSAP and will explore:

Why shoreline adaptation is urgent and necessary.
What SB 272 requires and what’s expected of local governments.
How the RSAP helps cities and counties balance local priorities with regional consistency.
How BCDC can support your jurisdiction.
AND will include a live Q&A with BCDC’s Planning team.

Register at: https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/QPfNkGxsSWapoEJKs1qX-g

Tracking Sea Level Rise Adaptation: An Introduction to Bay Adapt Currents (Webinar)
2025-07-09 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | CA
Bay Adapt Currents is a dynamic, data-driven dashboard developed by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). It is a centralized platform to monitor and report on the region’s efforts to adapt to rising sea levels.
This webinar will introduce attendees to Bay Adapt Currents. You will learn to navigate the dashboard and learn about the 11 metrics that track:

Hundreds of sea level rise policies in 55 Bay Area cities’ General Plans
Completed Adaptation Projects in the Bay
Programs that work to build capacity on sea level rise adaptation and knowledge
so much more!

Register for the event today.
Currents Webinar Flyer

BCDC RSAP Outreach Tour – Webinar #2: Creating Subregional Plans: A Local Government Primer
2025-07-23 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | CA
This summer, BCDC is hosting a four-part webinar series designed to help you understand how to plan for sea level rise in compliance with the RSAP and SB 272 and how to access the tools and support available to begin planning now. The second webinar in the series will be Webinar #2: Creating Subregional Plans: A Local Government Primer and will explore:

Navigating each section of the RSAP.
Understanding the RSAP Guidelines and Standards.
Developing a Subregional Plan with BCDC Support.
AND will include a live Q&A with BCDC’s Planning team.

Register at: https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HZb3ctabSzmBhzuRLT4juA#/registration

BCDC RSAP Outreach – Webinar #3: The RSAP Atlas: Data and Mapping Tool for Planning
2025-08-13 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | CA
This summer, BCDC is hosting a four-part webinar series designed to help you understand how to plan for sea level rise in compliance with the RSAP and SB 272 and how to access the tools and support available to begin planning now. The third webinar in the series will be Webinar #3: The RSAP Atlas: Data and Mapping Tool for Planning and will explore:

How to explore coastal hazards.
How to export jurisdiction-specific submittals and summaries.
How to download GIS datasets.

Register at: https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RAV6uzuhRMqmK-d43FV_Iw#/registration

2025 Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit
2025-09-15 | The Expoloratorium, Pier 15 Embarcadero at, Green St, San Francisco, CA, 94105, United States
UPDATE: Tickets for the afternoon summit sold out quickly. Grab the last tickets to attend the evening reception where we will honor the three Bay Adapt Award winners!
Celebrate sea level adaptation at the 2025 Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit, a unique climate change adaptation conference, presented by BCDC, in partnership with the Exploratorium and Greenbelt.
GRAB LAST TICKETS
For the second consecutive year, this dynamic and immersive gathering brings together climate practitioners, scientists, advocates, and community members to celebrate regional progress on sea level rise adaptation and highlight the latest on-the-ground actions taking place across our neighborhoods. From unique field trips at iconic shoreline locations to engaging sessions and panels, the Bay Adapt Summit combines cutting-edge knowledge with the latest stories about what’s happening on the ground.
As part of the Summit, the Bay Adapt Awards recognize individuals who are leading the way with exemplary contributions and innovations addressing the critical challenges of sea level rise. These awards aim not only to celebrate outstanding contributions but also to inspire broader community action in response to the most pressing challenges of our time.
Learn more about the inspiring awardees by checking our exclusive interviews on the blog:

Meet 2025 Bay Adapt Winner: Jeremy Lowe
Meet 2025 Bay Adapt Winner: Keta Price
Meet 2025 Bay Adapt Winner: Luiz Barata

2025 Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit
First, we will kick off the summit with three different field trip options, with limited availability, on Sunday (September 14 ) and Monday (September 15) mornings! Check out more details on the agenda* and make sure you add a field trip to your ticket when you sign up (while tickets last)!
On Monday, we will gather at the iconic Exploratorium for a day of inspiration, learning, and collaboration. In the morning, you can choose between two optional, simultaneous activities at 10 a.m.: the Solutions Room Speed Dating or Mycelium Youth’s Gaming for Shoreline Justice Workshop.
Full Program*
*Program and schedule are subject to change at any given time without prior notice.
Sunday, September 14, 2025
MORNING (SIMULTANEOUS FIELD TRIPS, OPTIONAL)
10:00 A.M. – Field Trip 1: Rising Waters, Resilient City: Exploring Suisun City’s Shoreline with Sustainable Solano
Explore how sea level rise, flooding, and stormwater shape Suisun City on this interactive waterfront walking tour led by Sustainable Solano. As we walk together along the shoreline, we’ll discuss the climate challenges facing this unique waterfront community and explore a range of adaptation strategies that could help protect both people and the environment. Participants will learn how the slough interacts with the built landscape, contributing to both ecological richness and flood risk, and discover how nature-based solutions can play a vital role in building long-term resilience.
10:00 A.M. – Field Trip 2: At the Water’s Edge: The Future of the Canal District with Canal Alliance
Join us for a powerful walking tour through the Canal neighborhood in San Rafael, co-led by community leaders and the Canal Alliance team. We’ll begin at the Canal Alliance headquarters, where you’ll have the chance to understand and visualize the area’s vulnerabilities and opportunities. From there, we’ll walk to key locations to witness the threats to homes, businesses, evacuation routes, and other critical infrastructure, and visit a waterfront site the City is working to transform into a public park and possible pedestrian bridge over the creek. This experience offers not only a look at the challenges facing the community but a window into Canal Alliance’s model of meaningful community engagement and capacity building in action.
Monday, September 15, 2025
MORNING (SIMULTANEOUS SESSIONS, OPTIONAL)
10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. – Pre-Summit | Solutions Room Speed Dating (Optional)
(Fisher Bay Observatory) The Solutions Room is an optional interactive session where cities and community-based organizations can present real-world challenges they’re facing—from technical hurdles to community engagement roadblocks—and receive rapid-fire insights and tailored advice from a panel of expert practitioners. Whether you’re looking for funding strategies, nature-based design input, or inclusive planning tools, this is your chance to get unstuck and move toward solutions. Advance registration is required; if you sign up, event organizers will reach out to you in advance to learn about the challenge you would like to bring to the session and ensure that the right experts will be there.
10:00 AM – 12:00 P.M. – Pre-Summit | Mycelium Youth’s Gaming for Shoreline Justice Workshop (Optional)
Led by: Marcy Brown, Lead Storyteller & Game Designer, Mycelium Youth Network
(Exploratorium Classroom 1) Discover how storytelling and role-playing games can become powerful tools for climate education and community empowerment. In this interactive session, Mycelium Youth Network will share their groundbreaking Gaming for Justice workshop, where participants can engage in custom Dungeons & Dragons–style adventures rooted in real-world environmental justice issues. Learn how this innovative program blends STEAM learning, cultural storytelling, and collective problem-solving to build climate resilience and inspire the next generation of changemakers.
10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. – Field trip 3: Augmented Reality Walking Tour -Sea Level Rise at SF Waterfront with the Port of San Francisco
This tour is split into two parts: in the first half, Cal Poly Assistant Professor of Architecture Gabriel Kaprielian will lead us to step into the past and see into the future with an augmented reality walking tour of San Francisco’s evolving waterfront. “Postcards from the Future, San Francisco 2125” is a guided augmented reality tour along the historic downtown shoreline. It invites the public to explore the past, present, and potential future transformations of the city’s shoreline by visualizing place-based changes at six designated locations. In the second half, Port of San Francisco Senior Planner Luiz Barata will lead a walk around the Ferry Building and discuss the history of the Embarcadero Seawall and how the Port of San Francisco’s Waterfront Resilience Program is planning for a safer and more resilient waterfront. We’ll explore the shoreline together, spark conversation, and imagine the future of San Francisco through a new lens.
AFTERNOON
1:15 – 1:30 P.M. – Welcome and Check-in
Where: Fisher Bay Observatory

Gregg Castro, Culture Director, Association of Ramaytush Ohlone
Lindsay Bierman, Executive Director and CEO, Exploratorium
Zack Wasserman, Chair, SF BCDC

1:30 P.M. – Session 1: What We Have Accomplished
Where: Fisher Bay Observatory

Across the region, communities are rising to the challenge of sea level rise with bold, creative, and community-centered solutions. This session shines a light on the climate adaptation successes taking root throughout the Bay Area — from shoreline restoration and flood protection projects to community-led planning efforts and innovative policy wins. Join us to celebrate the progress we’ve made, hear inspiring stories from local leaders, and recognize the partnerships and perseverance that make these accomplishments possible. It’s a moment to reflect, uplift, and recharge for the work ahead. With:

Dana Brechwald, Assistant Planning Director for Climate Adaptation, SF BCDC
Dr. Kris May, PhD, CEO, Pathways Climate Institute (2024 Bay Adapt Awardee)
Violet Saena, Founder and Executive Director, Climate Resilient Communities (2024 Bay Adapt Awardee)

2:00 – 3:15 P.M. – Breakout Sessions
Choose among simultaneous sessions happening around the Exploratorium:
1. Engineering with Nature: Implementing Nature-Based Solutions in Dense Urban Areas
Where: Fisher Bay Observatory

Nature-based solutions hold enormous promise for building climate resilience, but how do they take root in dense, urban environments like San Francisco? This panel brings together experts to explore the challenges and opportunities of designing, permitting, and implementing green infrastructure and ecological adaptation strategies in the built environment. Drawing from real-world examples across the Bay Area, panelists will share lessons learned, emerging best practices, and what it takes to engineer with nature in cities where space is limited but the need for resilience is urgent.. With

Julie Beagle, Engineering with Nature Program Manager, US Army Corps of Engineers
Emily Corwin, SF Bay Living Shorelines Collaborative, San Francisco Estuary Institute
Andrew Chang, Ecologist, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Devyani Jain, Deputy Program Manager – Environmental, Port of San Francisco

2. Community Engagement: Building Community Capacity for Meaningful Engagement in Adaptation Planning
Where: Classroom 2610

Equitable climate adaptation starts with inclusive, community-driven processes — but meaningful engagement doesn’t happen by accident. This session explores how local governments and community-based organizations are working together to build the capacity of frontline communities to shape adaptation planning. Through case studies, conversation, and interactive activities, participants will learn strategies that go beyond outreach to foster leadership, deepen trust, and ensure that adaptation efforts reflect local priorities. With:

Nicole Aguilera, Community Development Coordinator, Canal Alliance
Eva Calderon, Miembro del Consejo de Residentes, Canal Alliance
Kamille Lang, Resilient Leadership Manager, Climate Resilient Communities
Victorina Arvelo, Resilience Manager, Greenbelt Alliance

3. Advancing Permitting for Adaptation Projects
Where: Classroom 2006
Permitting can be challenging for adaptation projects, especially those that span jurisdictions, involve nature-based solutions, or sit at the edge of land and water. This session dives into efforts to streamline permitting for sea level rise and climate resilience projects, featuring examples of cross-agency coordination, regulatory innovation, and lessons learned from pilot initiatives. With:

Xavier Fernandez, Planning and TMDL Division Manager, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
Mitsuko Grube; Senior Environmental Scientist, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Ethan Lavine, Assistant Regulatory Director for Climate Adaptation, SF BCDC
Harriet Lai Ross, Director of Regulatory Affairs, SF BCDC

4. Tides of Understanding: Advancing Public Education on Sea Level Rise
Where: Learning Commons

As climate impacts accelerate, public understanding of sea level rise (SLR) is more urgent than ever. This session celebrates a key milestone: the upcoming adoption of a formal SLR education program by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) as part of the Bay Plan and Special Area Plan—an effort catalyzed in collaboration with the Exploratorium.
Join leaders from BCDC, the Port of San Francisco, Ninth Root, and the Exploratorium to discuss how we can deepen awareness, inspire action, and ensure that communities across the Bay Area have access to accurate, accessible, and engaging climate science. Panelists will share lessons from successful public engagement initiatives, including the Shoreline Leadership Academy, and explore how the new initiative can support education efforts across the region. With:

Susan Schwartzenberg, Senior Artist, Exploratorium
Emma Greenbaum, Project Director, Exploratorium
Mulika Musyimi, Civic Science Fellow, Exploratorium
Phoenix Armenta, Senior Manager for Climate Equity and Community Engagement;
Luiz Barata, Senior planner and urban designer, Waterfront Resilience Program at Port of San Francisco (2025 Bay Adapt Awardee)
Shy Walker, Director of Ninth Root

5. Financing Resilience: Models for Scalable, Community-Centered Adaptation
Where: Kanbar

With an anticipated nearly $100B funding gap for Bay Area sea level rise adaptation, and support from Washington at an all-time low, innovative models for organizing, funding, and delivering adaptation are more important than ever. This session explores emerging approaches to funding and financing from across the Bay Area and beyond: resilience districts, creative financing, and public-private-community partnerships. Panelists will share real-world examples of how cities and partners are leveraging public, private, and philanthropic funds; aligning adaptation goals with infrastructure investments; and ensuring that frontline communities benefit from and help drive these efforts. With:

Len Materman, CEO, OneShoreline (San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resilience District)
Nuin-Tara Key, Executive Director of Programs, California Forward
Louise Bedsworth, Executive Director at the Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment, UC Berkeley
Zach Knight, Co-founder and CEO, Blue Forest
Jessica Fain, Director of Planning, BCDC
Eric Olson, Co-founder & Managing Partner, HeatWve LLC

3:15 – 3:45 P.M. – Break
3:45 – 4:00 P.M. – Session 2: Keynote Speaker: Alexis Madrigal

Hear inspiring words from Alexis Madrigal, Journalist, co-host of KQED’s current affairs show, Forum, and a contributing writer at The Atlantic.
4:05 – 5:00 P.M. – Session 3: Big Ideas: Where Do We Go From Here?
(Fisher Bay Observatory) Featuring our Bay Adapt Award winners as judges, this session is our “Shark Tank” big ideas moment — a chance to hear bold, creative conceptual ideas for new projects, campaigns, or collaborations that could shape the Bay Area’s climate future. Read the ideas at bit.ly/RTBigIDeas
5:30 – 7:30 P.M. – Bay Adapt Award Ceremony and Reception
Join us in honoring our 2025 Bay Adapt Awardees: Luiz Barata, champion of inclusive waterfront resilience; Keta Price, transformative leader in community-driven planning; and Jeremy Lowe, longtime steward and innovator for the bay. Together, they represent the community-centered leadership driving Bay Area climate resilience. Enjoy drinks, appetizers, and wines from Azizam, our guest climate-adaptive winemaker.
Reception kindly sponsored by the Bay Area Regional Collaborative

BCDC RSAP Outreach Tour – Webinar #4: Getting Started: Engage, Fund, and Initiate Plans
2025-09-17 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | CA
This summer, BCDC is hosting a four-part webinar series designed to help you understand how to plan for sea level rise in compliance with the RSAP and SB 272 and how to access the tools and support available to begin planning now. The fourth webinar in the series will be Webinar #4: Getting Started: Engage, Fund, and Initiate Plans and will explore:

How to engage with BCDC through pre-consultations and submit a Notice to Begin.
Available funding sources to support Subregional Plan development.
Key steps in developing, adopting, and submitting a Plan to BCDC.
Commission review, approval process, and requirements for updates and compliance.

Register at: https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VUc_vKCxTfqy8r-xKWEs1A#/registration

BCDC Planning Essentials Webinar Series – Webinar #1: ﻿Understanding Elements A & B – Planning Context and Existing Conditions
2026-02-11 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | CA
BCDC is hosting a three-part webinar series to help jurisdictions understand how to use and interpret the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) Guidelines as they begin their plans. The series will cover Subregional Plan Elements A, B, C, and the Equity Assessment. Participants will also learn how to access the tools and support available for these elements.
The first webinar in the series will be Webinar #1: Understanding Elements A & B – Planning Context and Existing Conditions and will explore:

What Element A (Planning Context) and Element B (Existing Conditions) require for compliance.
How to utilize and document existing plans and data.
How to find and document the planning area, community context, and existing assets.

AND will include a live Q&A with BCDC’s Planning team.
Register at: https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qZTGDcxIRgmcNsYfbmJPSQ
For more information on the RSAP and subregional plans, please visit https://www.bcdc.ca.gov/local-sea-level-rise-plans/

BCDC Planning Essentials Webinar Series – Webinar #2: ﻿Understanding Element C – Vulnerability Assessment
2026-03-25 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | CA
BCDC is hosting a three-part webinar series to help jurisdictions understand how to use and interpret the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) Guidelines as they begin their plans. The series will cover Subregional Plan Elements A, B, C, and the Equity Assessment. Participants will also learn how to access the tools and support available for these elements.
The second webinar in the series will be Webinar #2: Understanding Element C – Vulnerability Assessment and will explore:

What Element C (Vulnerability Assessment) requires for compliance.
How to identify and evaluate how people, assets, and systems may be affected by coastal flood hazards and sea level rise.
Real world examples using the RSAP Atlas.

AND will include a live Q&A with BCDC’s Planning team.
Register at: https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qZTGDcxIRgmcNsYfbmJPSQ
For more information on the RSAP and subregional plans, please visit https://www.bcdc.ca.gov/local-sea-level-rise-plans/

BCDC Planning Essentials Webinar Series – Webinar #3: ﻿Equity and the Equity Assessment
2026-04-29 13:00 - 14:00 UTC | CA
BCDC is hosting a three-part webinar series to help jurisdictions understand how to use and interpret the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) Guidelines as they begin their plans. The series will cover Subregional Plan Elements A, B, C, and the Equity Assessment. Participants will also learn how to access the tools and support available for these elements.
The third webinar in the series will be Webinar #3: Equity and the Equity Assessment and will explore:

How equity was considered in the development of the RSAP.
How to identify and consider communities most vulnerable to climate impacts.
How to apply the Equity Assessment and integrate equity into engagement, analysis, and decision-making in subregional plans.

AND will include a live Q&A with BCDC’s Planning team
Register at: https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8u7Jy5Y3RcCIJ983zVTeWw
For more information on the RSAP and subregional plans, please visit https://www.bcdc.ca.gov/local-sea-level-rise-plans/

2026 Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit
2026-11-09 | The Expoloratorium, Pier 15 Embarcadero at, Green St, San Francisco, CA, 94105, United States
Celebrate the future of a resilient Bay at the 2026 Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit — the region’s premier gathering for sea level rise adaptation — presented by BCDC in partnership with the Exploratorium and Greenbelt Alliance.
Mark your calendar: The 3rd annual Rising Together returns on November 9, 2026, at the Exploratorium—and it’s set to be our biggest summit yet.
In just a few years, Rising Together has become a go-to convening for the Bay Area’s adaptation leaders and practitioners — a place where ideas turn into action. This year’s summit will be an energizing, hands-on experience, with thought-provoking panels, visionary keynotes, behind-the-scenes tours, interactive workshops, and creative activities designed to spark new partnerships and accelerate real progress.
Help Shape Something Big
Programming: Have ideas for this year’s Rising Together? We want them. Help shape the program by sharing topics you’re passionate about, proposing tours, or recommending speakers who are pushing the field forward. This summit is built by and for the Bay Area adaptation community—so bring your voice and vision. Submit your ideas. Share your ideas through this form.
Steering Committee: We are looking for passionate individuals to help us shape this event by serving on the Rising Together steering committee.
As a steering committee member, you will have the opportunity to:

Review content submissions for the summit and help shape the panels and other programming.
Help select the next Bay Adapt Award winners.
Connect with a network of Bay Area climate leaders and changemakers passionate about the same things as you.

Steering committee members will not be responsible for logistics or fundraising. Your role is purely about shaping the content and vision of this exciting event.
Apply by June 19 to be considered for this exciting opportunity!
As part of the Summit, BCDC will also present this year’s Bay Adapt Awards, honoring the innovators, leaders, and changemakers driving bold solutions to sea level rise. These awards celebrate not just what’s been achieved, but what’s possible when a region comes together to meet one of the defining challenges of our time.
2025 Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit
Check out the recap of the 2025 Summit and learn more about the inspiring awardees by checking our exclusive interviews on the blog:

Meet 2025 Bay Adapt Winner: Jeremy Lowe
Meet 2025 Bay Adapt Winner: Keta Price
Meet 2025 Bay Adapt Winner: Luiz Barata
