Colleen Cochran - Aligning Corporate Climate Risk w/ Adaptation Planning - MAS CSP 2026 Symposium

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The research provides valuable insights into the disconnect between corporate climate risk disclosures and public adaptation planning. The argumentation is well-structured, moving from context to methodology, findings, and recommendations. The use of mixed methods (document analysis and interviews) strengthens the validity. The findings are presented with specific statistics and examples, such as the 16% planning to 2050 and the $110 billion adaptation gap in the Bay Area. The recommendations are practical and grounded in the data, addressing identified gaps. However, the study’s scope is limited to California and sea level rise, which may limit generalizability. The argumentation could be strengthened by discussing potential limitations and alternative interpretations.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The research demonstrates scientific rigor through systematic document analysis and semi-structured interviews. The sources used include official SB261 disclosures, public planning documents, and frameworks like TCFD and IPCC. The methodology is transparent, and the findings are clearly linked to the data. The title accurately reflects the content. The presentation includes acknowledgments to advisors and committee members, indicating academic oversight. However, the study has not been peer-reviewed, and the sample size for interviews is relatively small. The analysis of comments is not applicable as no comments were provided.

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on aligning corporate climate risk disclosures with local adaptation planning in California.

8/10

The research is based on a systematic analysis of 146 corporate disclosures and 20 public planning documents, supplemented by 18 semi-structured interviews with professionals from both sectors. The methodology is transparent and the findings are clearly presented. However, the study is a master's capstone project and has not been peer-reviewed, and the sample size for interviews is relatively small.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 00:00Introduction and motivation: personal background and climate governance context.
• 02:00Overview of California's climate risk laws and frameworks, including SB261, TCFD, and state-level assessments.
• 04:00Focus on sea level rise and the specific guidance from Ocean Protection Council and Coastal Commission.
• 06:00Research question and rationale: aligning corporate disclosures with local adaptation planning.
• 08:00Phase 1 methodology: document analysis of 146 SB261 disclosures and 20 public planning documents.
• 10:00Phase 2 methodology: semi-structured interviews with 9 corporate and 9 planner professionals.
• 12:00Findings from corporate disclosures: scenario analysis, time horizons, sea level rise mention, and asset-level detail.
• 14:00Findings from public planning documents: quantification of sea level rise, funding gaps, and examples of partnerships.
• 16:00Interview insights: corporate awareness, materiality, and partnership appetite; planner barriers and institutional differences.
• 18:00Policy recommendations: geocoded asset disclosure, temporal alignment, cross-sector risk mask, resilience credits, and cross-sector network.

• SB261 California Climate-Related Financial Risk Act — The law requiring companies to disclose climate risks, analyzed in the study.
• Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) — Voluntary framework that SB261 aligns with.
• California Sea Level Rise Guidance (Ocean Protection Council) — State guidance translating IPCC science to sea level rise scenarios.
• California Coastal Commission Sea Level Rise Guidance — Guidance making sea level rise scenarios requirements under the Coastal Act.
• SB272 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning — Law requiring local coastal governments to develop adaptation plans by 2034.
• Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) — Modeling tool used in public planning documents for sea level rise projections.
• Verra Coastal Resilience Methodology — Existing verification structure for resilience credits mentioned in recommendations.

• California Climate Change Assessment — Provides state-level climate risk information that aligns with the public planning documents analyzed.
• IPCC Sixth Assessment Report — The scientific basis for climate risk assessments used in both corporate and public frameworks.

• No discordant sources found — The research did not identify any sources that contradict its findings.