California and a few other climate-leading states and countries have made initial progress reducing demand for oil — for example through deploying electric vehicles — but have done very little on the supply side. The International Energy Agency tells us that staying below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming is incompatible with any new oil and gas production, but the United States, California, and countries around the world continue to expand drilling.
National and state governments need detailed plans for transitioning away from fossil fuels, with objectives and milestones phased in to reduce price shocks, limit impacts on low-income communities, and avoid layoffs, while helping workers retrain and move into new, high-paying jobs. Implementing such plans will require a coordinated effort between multiple agencies with leadership and accountability at the cabinet level. California has some pieces in place, but no comprehensive plan. This panel discussed what is working and what is still needed to launch a comprehensive fossil fuel phaseout from several different state-level perspectives.
This event was co-organized with The Climate Registry.
Directions to the Event: The Climate Registry’s Pathways to 1.5 Pavilion is located in Thematic Arena 3, Zone B7, Building 88 in the Blue Zone.
Speakers
Senator Monique Limón
California State Senator
Senator Monique Limón, a lead author of the historic oil and gas setbacks bill SB 1137, was elected to the Senate in November 2020 and represents the 19th Senate district that includes all of Santa Barbara County and over half of Ventura County. Born and raised in the 19th district, Monique has worked continuously to serve her community as an educator, leader, and an advocate for causes advancing the quality of life in her community.
Secretary of the Environment, Department of Environmental Protection, Maryland
Serena McIlwain was confirmed as the Maryland Department of the Environment’s 11th Secretary on March 2, 2023. Prior to that, Secretary McIlwain was the Under Secretary at the California Environmental Protection Agency. A native of the Washington Metro area, Secretary McIlwain also worked for the federal government as a Senior Executive for numerous Executive Branch agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as Assistant Regional Administrator for Region 9 in San Francisco, California, Performance Improvement Officer, and Director of Continuous Improvement at U.S. EPA Headquarters, and Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. Secretary McIlwain received a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University and a Master’s degree in Administration and International Studies from Central Michigan University.
Head of Policy and Engagement, Carbon Tracker Initiative
Richard Folland has been Carbon Tracker’s policy and government affairs adviser since 2014 and in 2023 joined as the Head of Policy and Engagement. Richard has over 30 years of experience as a diplomat and advocate, operating at the highest level, based in Europe and elsewhere. He has worked on the climate and energy agenda, as a policymaker and as a private sector advisor, for 15 years. A former head of international energy policy at the UK Foreign Office, Richard has also been JPMorgan’s European Advisor on Energy and Climate Change, the Executive Director of the Climate Markets and Investment Association (CMIA), and the Head of Energy and Environment at Inline Policy. He was Co-Founder of the strategic advisory firm, Sustineri, working with institutional investors on climate and sustainability issues.
Liane Randolph has spent most of her career in public service, specializing in environmental law and policy, effective administration, and a commitment to transparency and public process. She was appointed Chair of the California Air Resources Board by Governor Gavin Newsom in December 2020.
Collin Rees is the U.S. Program Manager at Oil Change International working to stop the expansion of the fossil fuel industry, support grassroots resistance against dirty infrastructure, end public support for oil, gas, and coal, and wind down fossil fuel production with a just and equitable transition. He has campaigned on climate and racial justice, labor issues, and new economic models for over a decade, spanning local to international levels. Prior to joining Oil Change, Collin worked to build the power of the student fossil fuel divestment movement at 350.org, and trained youth to run campaigns with the Energy Action Coalition (now the Power Shift Network). He campaigned at the international climate negotiations with youth advocacy group SustainUS and is now a Board member, and previously worked at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Collin studied Mechanical and materials Science Engineering at Harvard University.
Barry joined The Climate Center in 2005 and has held positions as Deputy Director and Financial Officer. He currently leads The Climate Center’s program and policy development and implementation teams. In 2018 Barry began working with a group of energy experts and advocates envisioning a more decentralized energy system that was clean, affordable, resilient, and equitable. He then championed the development of The Climate Center’s Community Energy Resilience project, which has culminated in the creation of a new $170 million Community Energy Resilience investment program by the California Energy Commission in August of 2022.
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