Energy Resources & Access

I have a clear memory of the first class that I took on climate change as a college freshman, where I excitedly learned about the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) at which nations gather to negotiate on furthering the aims of the Convention.

Lara Cushing is the lead author of a December 2022 study finding that historical red-lining is associated with fossil fuel power plant siting and present-day inequalities in air pollutant emissions. Read the open-access article in Nature Energy and a summary in Axios.

Kimberly Miner was interviewed by the Daily Show and an NBC News segment about how climate change has fueled recent extreme weather events and flooding in California. “Climate change is warming the whole planet and that includes the atmosphere and the oceans. What that means for us is that the atmosphere is able to hold more moisture, so these storms can be bigger,” Miner told NBC.

Naomi Fraga wrote on Twitter: "I am so incredibly grateful for this California rain, but I am also anticipating the inevitable... The dreaded conversations about the "superbloom". You might be saying, what the heck Naomi, you are a botanist, don't you love superblooms?"

“One of our biggest recommendations was the need for a type of clearinghouse for decision makers to be able to bring together these different types of information,” Hsu said. “It’s currently very scattershot and everyone’s doing their own thing, and that’s created an incredibly heterogeneous and patchwork landscape of this data.”

Isa Gaillard found that rather than simply focusing on market transformation & the acceleration of EV adoption, state leaders and administrators must prioritize affordability and accessibility.

Electric transmission system operators require new large generators seeking to connect to the grid to undergo a series of impact studies before they can be built. "The lack of interconnection cost data is an information barrier for prospective developers, resulting in a less efficient process," Rand said.

This in-depth conversation with Dr. Brittani Orona (Hupa, Hoopa Valley Tribe) on the Cal Ag Roots WELL podcast digs into the concept and practice of the Landback movement in California, including the deep history of Native resistance in the state. It also explores Brittani’s background and new role at San Diego State University.

The Biden-Harris Administration named Sarah Kapnick, Ph.D., as NOAA’s chief scientist. Kapnick will serve as the senior scientist for the agency, advancing policy and program direction for NOAA’s science and technology priorities. “It is an honor to return to NOAA and serve as the chief scientist," said Kapnick.