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

$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
| Press Release

California’s new five-year climate plan relies on fantasy levels of engineered carbon removal — The Climate Center response

It's Time to Cut Carbon

SAN FRANCISCO — Moments ago, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its final Scoping Plan, the state’s five-year roadmap for achieving its climate goals. After months of consultation with climate experts and advocates, as well as intervention from Governor Newsom, the plan reflects some significant improvements. These include a commitment to avoid the buildout … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Clean Energy Climate Justice Fossil Fuels
| Press Release

Deceptive, billionaire-funded campaign kills California’s Prop 30

Electric Vehicles Charging at a Station

SAN FRANCISCO, November 9, 2022 — Prop 30, the only statewide climate measure on the California ballot this year, failed to pass. As of this morning, the margin is 59-41 with nearly half the votes counted. A misleading opposition campaign funded largely by billionaires distracted from the true intent of Prop 30: to make clean … Read more

Categories Transportation
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A new website for The Climate Center, built with you in mind

To change everything, it takes everyone

‘To change everything, it takes everyone.’ I remember hearing and seeing this phrase everywhere during the first half of my career in climate advocacy, starting with the People’s Climate March in 2014.  Nearly a decade later, it’s still true. Big, systemic changes require people power. But for all we know about what needs to be … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Justice