Energy Resources & Access

In theory, local urban leadership on climate adaptation could significantly reduce the vulnerability of those who need the greatest protection. More people live in cities than ever, providing an opportunity to concentrate climate investments. In reality, most adaptation proposals try to protect existing development in coastal and low-lying urban areas in ways that perpetuate continued growth in these exposed areas. The fact is, there are winners and losers in urban climate adaptation projects, and it is the poorest and most marginalized who (as always) tend to lose.

“We need to convert more crop production to organic and ecological,” says Kendra Klein, staff scientist and agro-ecology expert at Friends of the Earth, an environmental organization. “And really the most important thing is reducing meat consumption.” Read more

Subnational governments—cities, counties, and states in the U.S. and around the world—have an essential role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing integrative approaches to adaption. Leading up to the Paris climate talks, California Governor Jerry Brown, in partnership with the German state of Baden-Württemberg, gathered commitments from cities and regions to take specific actions toward aggressive emissions reductions, using a multitude of best practices that have been shared across the world.

Fellow Daniel Swain's research focuses on the causes of persistent patterns in the atmosphere—like the ones that cause drought or exceptional rain in California—and how climate change might be affecting them. In his spare time, the 25-year-old Marin native runs the California Weather Blog (weatherwest.com), a must-read for weather nerds where he comments on statewide weather patterns and their big-picture causes. He’s also the one who gave the name “Ridiculously Resilient Ridge” to the pattern that’s being blamed for our three years of drought.

Subnational governments—cities, counties, and states in the U.S. and around the world—have an essential role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing integrative approaches to adaptation.

A Leadership Grant allowed Fellow Amber Pairis to create the Climate Science Alliance in San Diego over the past year. It now serves as an umbrella for bringing people together to leverage programs, projects, resources, and expertise to do something bigger than they could each do alone.

With an interesting research and career portfolio that blends social movements and climate change, David Ciplet joined the Environmental Studies Departmentat the University of Colorado Boulder earlier this academic year bringing with him a focus on power and inequality in climate change and global politics.

The Climate Science Alliance under Fellow Amber Pairis has won a competitive NOAA Coastal Resilience grant with its partners.

The best use of resources is to adopt a triage approach to climate change – deal with the direst circumstances first, and work from there, says Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.