UCLA’s Environmental Law Clinic Files Brief on Behalf of Amici League of California Cities and California State Association of Counties
Brief defends local government authority to regulate oil drilling in face of industry challenge
[Update: The Second District Court of Appeal, Division 5 has rejected all the amicus curiae brief applications filed in this case, including this brief. We will leave this post, and the link to the brief, up on this blog so that anyone interested may see our arguments, but the brief will not be considered in the case.] The Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic at UCLA School of Law filed an amici curiae brief with the California Court of Appeal yesterday in a proced...
CONTINUE READINGBattle for the Senate: Missouri and Indiana
Two Democratic moderates faces staunch conservative challengers in these toss-up races.
In the middle of the country, these two Senate races pit Democratic incumbents against strong Republican challengers in what promise to be very close races. Democrats must hold onto these seats to have any chance at all of winning control. If they lose both seats, the GOP will solidify its majority, giving Mitch McConnell more maneuvering room on legislation and judicial confirmations. Both Democratic incumbents have moderate records on the environment, whereas their opp...
CONTINUE READINGAchieving 100% Zero-Emission Vehicles — New CLEE Report Release Today
Report findings to be discussed at Global Climate Action Summit affiliate event in San Francisco today
Some countries and states, including California, are contemplating or making plans for phase-outs or bans on the sale of new internal combustion engine passenger vehicles by a date certain. Berkeley Law's Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) is today releasing the report 100% Zero to offer policy pathways to make such a scenario affordable and achievable. A phase-out on gasoline-powered vehicles will be critical to achieving long-term climate goals and im...
CONTINUE READINGReflections from the Climate Reality Leadership Training
As we move firmly into climate conference season, I wanted to highlight the key takeaways from two that I’ll be attending with my colleague Garrett Lenahan (among other UCLA colleagues). The first was the the Climate Reality Leadership Training in Los Angeles, which focused on training folks of a diverse array of professions to become informed and effective climate action advocates. As a result, the training itself sacrificed depth for breadth when providing a broad ov...
CONTINUE READINGCalifornia’s New Energy Law (SB 100) Is a Piece in a Larger Puzzle
Rooftop solar,storage and energy efficiency still play critical roles
California’s new landmark energy law should be a matter of pride for the whole state. It calls for electricity providers to rely on renewable sources for at least 60% of their delivered power by 2030 and on zero greenhouse gas-emitted sources for the remaining 40% by 2045. People refer to this as the 100% clean energy bill, and it represents a bold new approach for reducing California’s carbon footprint. The California Legislature deserves praise for its dedication t...
CONTINUE READINGCalifornia Commits to 100% Clean Energy, and Can Achieve It
Governor Brown signs SB 100, calling for 100% carbon-free power by 2045
As my colleague Ethan Elkind already described, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 100 today, committing California to procuring 100% of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045. The law also increases the state’s 2030 target from 50% to 60%, demonstrating just how far the state has come in achieving its ambitious renewable energy goals. Recent history shows that California can reach this new, most ambitious goal. SB 100 can rightly be viewed as a capst...
CONTINUE READINGGovernor Brown Signs 100% Carbon-Free Grid By 2045 Legislation + Executive Order Making California Carbon Neutral By 2045
Landmark legislation and executive order to be discussed with State Sen. Kevin de León tonight on City Visions, KALW 91.7 FM at 7pm
As was expected, Governor Brown today signed SB 100 (de León) to put California on a path to achieve a carbon-free electricity grid by 2045. But in a surprise move ahead of this week's Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, he also issued an executive order directing state agencies to achieve statewide carbon neutrality by 2045, with negative emissions thereafter. Previous gubernatorial executive orders on long-term emissions goals focused on reduci...
CONTINUE READINGBattle for the Senate: Tennessee & West Virginia
These two battleground states will help determine the balance of power in the Senate
These two states are from the upper South. Both voted for Trump. But they’re very different in other ways. West Virginia is another must-hold state for the Democrats, while in Tennessee Bob Corker’s resignation gives them a possible pick-up opportunity. Tennessee: Bredesen v. Blackburn. Tennessee has unexpectedly turned out to be in play, due to the candidacy of popular Democratic governor Phil Bredesen. The likely matchup will pit him against Rep. Marsha Bl...
CONTINUE READINGNew Report Co-Authored with California Department of Insurance Analyzes Climate Risks to Insurance Industry
Climate change threatens the industry's viability right when it is needed most. The new report from CDI and CLEE outlines key risks and opportunities for insurers, regulators, and residents.
Climate change presents a wide range of risks to California’s insurance industry, as Californians across the state contend with unprecedented wildfires, changing storm patterns, increased risks of flooding and sea level rise, and disruptions to business from agriculture to fisheries and beyond. Potential decarbonization of the economy and litigation based on climate-related damages further threaten the insurance business model. The industry faces these dynamic challeng...
CONTINUE READINGFive Key Cal. House Races and the Environment
These are among the races most likely to determine control of the House.
I’ve tried through the past few elections to provide information about the environmental views of Senate candidates in competitive races. There are too many House races for me to do the same thing on a national basis. But I thought I could at least cover the environmental dimensions of some of the key races in California. I chose these House seats because there seemed to be a lot of consensus among commentators that they were in play. Some of them may turn out to be...
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