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.
| 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
| Blog Post

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
| Press Release

California’s top oil and gas regulator steps down – The Climate Center response

SAN FRANCISCO — Yesterday, Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk announced that he will be stepping down as leader of the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM). Ntuk was appointed to the role — which oversees permitting for oil and gas drilling, public health and safety, and compliance with environmental regulations — by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019. … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels Public Health
| Press Release

$6 billion cut from climate programs in California state budget – The Climate Center response

California Flag

SACRAMENTO, January 11, 2023 — Facing a projected overall budget deficit of $22.5 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom announced yesterday $6 billion in proposed cuts to climate and energy programs in the state’s 2023-2024 budget. If approved by the legislature in May, that would bring California’s multi-year climate spending down to $48 billion, an 11 percent … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Transportation
| Press Release

California formally adopts climate plan overly reliant on engineered carbon removal

SACRAMENTO — Moments ago, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) unanimously voted to adopt the final Scoping Plan, the state’s five-year roadmap for meeting its climate targets. While feedback from scientists and advocates has improved the plan significantly since the beginning of the year, gaps in CARB’s modeling and flaws in its approach to carbon … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Climate Justice Climate Targets
| Press Release

New rules threaten to slow the growth of solar in California – The Climate Center response

Professional technician working with screwdriver connecting solar photo voltaic panel to metal platform on summer rural landscape background. Stand-alone exterior solar panel system installation.

SACRAMENTO — Moments ago, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted unanimously to adopt new rules for how residential rooftop solar customers, schools, churches, farms, and businesses will be compensated for the electricity they deliver back to the grid. Unfortunately, pressure from corporate utilities resulted in a proposal that would slash the rate paid to these solar … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience
| Blog Post

Testimony: California needs regulations that make solar more accessible to working-class communities, not less

Solar panels on the rooftop of the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons Building.

On December 15, 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted unanimously to adopt new rules for how residential rooftop solar customers, schools, churches, farms, and businesses will be compensated for the electricity they deliver back to the grid. Unfortunately, pressure from corporate utilities resulted in a proposal that would slash the rate paid to these solar … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience
| Blog Post

Testimony: Recommendations for carbon sequestration on natural and working lands in California’s new climate plan

California Flag

On December 15, 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) held its final public hearing related to the Scoping Plan, the state’s five-year roadmap for meeting its climate targets. While feedback from scientists and advocates has improved the plan significantly since the beginning of the year, gaps in CARB’s modeling and flaws in its approach … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Climate Justice Climate Targets Fossil Fuels
| Press Release

California oil industry subverts democracy, delays public health protections

Neighborhood Drilling in Kern County

SACRAMENTO — This week, the California Independent Petroleum Association announced that it has collected enough signatures to qualify a petition to overturn SB 1137, a law banning new oil drilling within 3,200 feet of sensitive sites like homes, schools, hospitals, and prisons. In response, The Climate Center CEO Ellie Cohen said: “Californians overwhelmingly support public … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels Public Health