Ryan Schleeter

Ryan Schleeter (he/him/his) is the Communications Director for The Climate Center, working to build the movement for a Climate-Safe California. Prior to The Climate Center, Ryan led communications for Greenpeace USA’s climate campaigns and worked for the World Resources Institute’s sustainable cities program. He’s the co-author of a chapter on values-based communications approaches for mobilizing climate action in the forthcoming anthology "Framing New Worlds: Resistance Narratives From 21st Century Social Movements" and a graduate researcher at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. His writing has also appeared in National Geographic, Grist, and more. He grew up in the Bay Area and currently lives on Ohlone land in San Francisco, California. Follow Ryan on Twitter @ryschlee.
| Blog Post

Testimony: California can leverage electric vehicles to keep the lights on

On April 18, 2023, SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, advanced out of the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee. The bill aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to power homes during outages, lower energy bills for Californians, and make the whole … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Transportation
| Press Release

New bill leverages California’s electric vehicle boom to avoid power outages

SACRAMENTO — SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to shore up the electric grid and power homes during outages.  The bill will require most new electric vehicles (EVs) and electric vehicle supply equipment sold in California … Read more

Categories Community Energy Resilience Transportation
| Press Release

New IPCC report calls for urgent action on climate (again)

United Nations

SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2023 — Earlier today, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its AR6 Synthesis Report. The report points to “more than a century of burning fossil fuels” as the driving force behind the climate crisis, increasingly extreme weather, and instability across the globe.  In response, The Climate Center CEO … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels
| Press Release

Bill to accelerate California’s 2030 climate target passes out of first committee

People's Climate March in New York City. Photo by @5byseven.

SACRAMENTO — Earlier today, SB 12, introduced by Senator Henry Stern and sponsored by The Climate Center, passed out of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee by a final vote of five to two. The bill would require California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, accelerating the … Read more

Categories Climate Targets
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Testimony: Accelerating California’s climate goals will save lives and dollars

On March 15, 2023, SB 12 — introduced by Senator Henry Stern and sponsored by The Climate Center — passed out of the California Senate Environmental Quality Committee by a final vote of five to two. The bill would require California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, accelerating … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Climate Targets
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We passed a natural carbon sequestration law — now what?

Commerce Tree Planting Kick-Off on October 1, 2021

Last year, Governor Newsom signed into law a suite of climate bills to accelerate California’s climate progress and protect frontline communities. Among those new laws was AB 1757 (C. Garcia & R. Rivas), which directs state agencies to scale up the use of nature-based solutions to meet California’s climate goals.  Building on an earlier bill … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Climate Targets
| Press Release

MEDIA ADVISORY: Meet with lawmakers, activists, and scientists at the California Climate Policy Summit 2023

Dr. J Mijin Cha at the California Climate Policy Summit 2022

SACRAMENTO — The second annual California Climate Policy Summit, hosted by The Climate Center on April 11, 2023, will bring together elected and business leaders, policy experts, activists, and environmental justice advocates to build support for climate policy commensurate with what science demands.  What: Our preliminary agenda includes presentations by scientists, lawmakers, and activists, as … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Clean Energy Climate Justice Community Energy Resilience Fossil Fuels Public Health Transportation
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Testimony: Climate investments can’t wait

Climate activist in Sacramento holds a sign reading "Divest from destruction, Invest in our Future." Photo by The Climate Center.

On February 8, 2023, the Assembly Budget Committee convened to hear public feedback on Governor Newsom’s proposed 2023-2024 state budget. The governor’s draft budget includes $6 billion in proposed cuts to climate and clean energy programs over the next several years. This budget will be revised again in May before a final vote by the … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Clean Energy Climate Justice Climate Targets Community Energy Resilience Transportation
| Press Release

Oil corporations spend millions of dollars to block California public health law

SAN FRANCISCO — Late last week, the California Secretary of State’s office announced that it has certified the oil industry-backed referendum challenging SB 1137. The law, passed last year, would have prohibited new oil drilling within 3,200 feet of sensitive sites like homes, schools, hospitals, and prisons. The referendum will go before voters on the … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels Public Health