Proposal due: January 30
In class presentations: March 6 - March 15
White Paper due: March 20 at NOON

Purpose: In the white paper assignment, you are charged with either:

1. presenting a policy proposal for how knowledge of current or future patterns of PNW climate should be used to improve a specific aspect of regional natural resource management, or
2. critiquing an existing or proposed regional policy, based on its compatibility with current understanding of the impacts of climate variability and/or change on the resource.

Audience: Aim your paper directly at the people who could make the change you propose.

Format of the paper: The white paper should include a one page executive summary aimed at the policymaking audience. Think of this (and your in-class presentation) as a chance to boil your argument and the supporting evidence down to its most convincing essence - oftentimes, the executive summary is all that the policy-making higher ups will read. Does it contain all the information you need to convince them?

The white paper itself should be 10-15 pages long. As supporting material, the paper should include your conceptual model for the system under consideration that includes:

• the natural/environmental context: included in this part should be a discussion of any biotic or physical interactions important to the topic, as well as the climate context. With respect to the climate context, you might discuss the relevant modes of natural climate variability, the potential for skillful climate forecasts, and/or a brief summary of climate change scenarios for a few to many decades into the future. You should also include a discussion of current understanding of climate impacts on the natural resource of interest.
• the economic context: What are the economic forces influencing this issue? Which group(s) of people are involved? Are local, regional, or global economic forces driving the utilization of relevant resources? What are the economic risks and rewards associated with an increased use of climate information? Who might the "winners" and "losers" be if climate changes in the future?
• the institutional/legal context: Which institutions are involved in decision-making? Identify and discuss specific laws, mandates and/or agreements that frame the decision-making process. Is the current institutional framework adaptable to change and surprise? Is it flexible to slowly changing environmental and/or market conditions?

Finally, be sure to discuss the interactions of these 3 elements, and how climate and climate information now plays a role in this system as a whole. Can you propose ways in which improved or innovative use of climate might improve the management of the target resource? Are there specific barriers that must first be overcome? Are there consequences to ignoring climate information? Do you think that stakeholders and managers in this system are now doing a good or bad job dealing with climate uncertainty? What is your recommendation for improving the management and/or utilization of the target resource(s)?

Format of the oral presentation: You will have 20 minutes to present your policy proposal (or critique), followed by 5 minutes of questions and discussion. You'll begin by identifying the target audience for the proposal and will make your presentation as if it were to this audience. The class will assume the role of your intended audience.

Other criteria for evaluation: Please present a clear, focused, well-developed and substantiated argument; write clearly and carefully; and get the facts right. A quality paper:

- is on a topic of interest or importance to managers in the region
- has analytical depth
- is clear, fun to read, well-organized and presented
- has been edited and substantially revised at least once

White paper example: http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/geninfo/hot/atlantic.pdf

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