Blog Post Archives

December 15, 2022December 15, 2022 | 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

Woody Hastings

January 20, 2023December 15, 2022 | Blog Post

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

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

Baani Behniwal

December 8, 2022December 7, 2022 | Blog Post

What lackluster progress at COP27 means for California

Kurt Johnson, Clifford Rechtschaffen, Ellie Cohen, Siva Gunda,Barry Vesser, and Vincent Wiraatmadja at COP27

For The Climate Center, the UN’s 27th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) was an opportunity to host California policymakers at events to showcase California’s recent climate accomplishments and learn from others around the world. The outcome of the official UN proceedings, however, was a … Read more

Ellie CohenBarry VesserVincent WiraatmadjaKurt Johnson

Climate Justice Community Energy Resilience

November 2, 2022October 28, 2022 | Blog Post

Testimony: California Air Resources Board must prioritize proven solutions, not carbon capture scams, in final Scoping Plan

The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) updated Scoping Plan, the state’s five-year climate blueprint, will play a key role in determining the direction of California’s climate policy. California must lead the way with bold, accelerated, and equitable climate policies. With CARB’s December deadline looming, The Climate Center and our allies are urging the agency to: … Read more

Baani Behniwal

Natural Carbon Sequestration

March 28, 2023October 11, 2022 | Blog Post

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

‘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

Ryan Schleeter

Clean Energy Climate Justice

September 29, 2022September 27, 2022 | Blog Post

Jasmin Ansar Joins The Climate Center as a Senior Climate Researcher

I am thrilled to join The Climate Center as a Senior Climate Researcher. I am an economist who started my career teaching in universities in England, Canada, and the United States. Included in the varied career hats I have worn was a spell in a private corporation, where I was told to find what the … Read more

Jasmin Ansar

Clean Energy

September 29, 2022September 20, 2022 | Blog Post

Stockton City Council votes unanimously for Community Choice Aggregation

On Tuesday, September 13, the Stockton City Council voted unanimously to join the East Bay Community Energy Community Choice Aggregation joint powers authority. “I’ve been working on this goal since 2016 because I recognize that Community Choice Energy offers opportunities not only to increase consumer choice and strengthen the Stockton economy, but to also address the climate … Read more

Woody Hastings

Community Choice Energy

September 29, 2022August 22, 2022 | Blog Post

5 climate priorities as California’s legislative session wraps up for 2022

Climate Rally in Sacramento Last Chance Alliance

With less than two weeks left in the legislative session for this year, Governor Newsom has released a set of game-changing climate proposals. His draft climate package includes a more ambitious goal for reducing climate pollution by 2030, public health setbacks from dangerous oil and gas drilling, and a commitment to nature-based carbon sequestration. This is great … Read more

Vincent Wiraatmadja

Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Fossil Fuels Natural Carbon Sequestration Public Health

September 29, 2022June 17, 2022 | Blog Post

Congratulations Ann Hancock, recipient of the Heart of Sonoma County lifetime achievement award

We’re delighted to share that The Climate Center co-founder Ann Hancock has been recognized with the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership’s Heart of Sonoma County lifetime achievement award! The awards recognized 98 nominees across eight categories for their contributions to civic life in Sonoma County. I’ve known and worked with Ann for nearly two … Read more

Barry Vesser

Clean Energy

October 11, 2022February 16, 2022 | Blog Post

Q&A: Climate-friendly agriculture at Straus Family Creamery, with Albert Straus and Joseph Button

I sat down recently with owner Albert Straus and Sustainability Director Joseph Button to discuss Straus Family Creamery’s approach to creating a climate-friendly dairy. Straus is a member of The Climate Center’s Business Network, a group of more than 70 businesses collaborating to advance bold, equitable climate policy in California. Straus is also pioneering techniques … Read more

Jock Gilchrist

Business Network Natural Carbon Sequestration