This research project seeks to understand resource management policy and its effectiveness in practice, especially as climate change exacerbates pre-existing scarcities. As a case study, this project examines two policies that attempt to manage water use in California– the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (2014) and the Central Valley Water Project Improvement Act (1992). The former was chosen because it focuses on the regulation of groundwater, a resource that had yet to be overseen in California, and the latter was selected as it is one of the most recent pieces of notable legislation that sought to improve the sustainable management of surface water. By considering how effective the policies have been in regulating two important sources, it can provide insight into the current and prospective water situation in California. This project measures the effectiveness of these acts through the agricultural sector, given that the industry uses approximately 80% of the state’s water supply in a given year. Therefore, by measuring the growth of water intensive crops in the years following the passage of said legislation, we can better understand whether these acts were successful in curbing exorbitant water use. To measure growth, I record the acres harvested of almonds, walnuts, avocados, and wheat (as a control); I then translate this data into growth rate for each year and record the unit price for further understanding. After conducting the aforementioned methodology, this project finds that the Central Valley Water Project Improvement Act is significantly more effective in limiting the growth of thirsty crops, whereas the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was found to have little impact.

This presentation discusses the climate change responses from two of the dominant international oil companies, BP and Shell. This project will start by comparing explicit corporate responses to climate change, including the respective companies' mitigation and adaptation strategies. Both firms have included dedications to net-zero emissions in the future and adherence to international climate policy stipulations. My presentation will further discuss BP and Shell's involvement in anthropogenic climate catastrophes, and compare these findings to the corporate-issued responses to climate change. Research will include corporate-issued memos, historical analysis of environmental responses, and governmental regulations of the oil and gas industry. This research aims to inform about the true reactions and responses towards climate change taken by two of the dominant oil and gas firms. Additionally, the research will prove the financial and social stability and dominance in which Shell and BP find immunity from climate issues. "Big Oil" has been one of the most violent drivers of anthropogenic climate change, and I expect my research to demonstrate the incredible impact of such, while demonstrating the rapid growth and profits that the oil and gas industry is experiencing during this climate crisis.