DCDC II is focused on developing, implementing, and studying an integrated decision-support process for environmental decision making based on social science principles. Through an integrated approach to research and education, DCDC will train a new generation of scientists who can work successfully at the boundaries of science and policy, and produce innovative solutions to society’s pressing environmental challenges. To accomplish these goals, DCDC II will build a dynamic bridge between ASU and local policy communities and seek global solutions for urban climate adaptation. This plan articulates DCDC’s vision and mission, describes key tasks and outlines a process of evaluation based on both standard and innovative metrics.

The Decision Center for a Desert City at Arizona State University is a collaborative research group established to theorize environmental decision making under uncertainty (DMUU) for urban water systems. One main concern for cities in the Colorado River Basin is the impact on water resources. The investigators will address the question: Given environmental and societal uncertainties, how can cities dependent on the Colorado River Basin develop transformational solutions to implement water sustainability transitions?