blog post Heightened Concerns about Heat Waves and Flooding Due to Climate Change By Rachel Lawler Jul 26, 2023 Record-high numbers of Californians are registering strong concerns about heat waves and flooding, while an overwhelming majority believe climate change is contributing to extreme weather events.
event Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment Jul 13, 2023 PPIC’s July survey explores Californians’ perceptions of climate change, extreme weather, and coastal health as well as opinions on federal and state elected officials. The survey also examines attitudes around policies to protect the environment amid changing economic, environmental, and fiscal conditions. PPIC survey analyst Deja Thomas will present findings and discuss key takeaways from the survey with PPIC associate survey director Dean Bonner.
blog post The Mad Dash to Save Dairy Cattle as Tulare Basin Flooded By Caitlin Peterson, Sarah Bardeen Apr 24, 2023 When low-elevation snow melted during a warm storm in March, the resulting flood in the Tulare Lake basin put 100,000 cattle and over a dozen dairy farms at risk. This week, Western United Dairies CEO Anja Raudabaugh gives us a gripping account of what happened as the lake began to refill.
blog post Crisis Communication Suffers During Natural Disasters By Jeffrey Mount Jan 12, 2023 Walloped by a series of atmospheric rivers, California is grappling with an unfolding natural disaster. In any disaster, communication is key—but this past weekend, our senior fellow Jeff Mount gained firsthand experience of some of the challenges facing our fractured communication systems.
blog post California’s 2022 Fire Season: “A Remarkably Different Year” By Sarah Bardeen Dec 12, 2022 This year’s fire season was relatively quiet—a welcome change of pace for fire-weary Californians. But what does it mean in the larger scheme of things? We asked UC Berkeley professor Scott Stephens for insights.
blog post New State and Federal Measures Aim to Manage Extreme Heat Risks By Gokce Sencan Nov 30, 2022 As climate change progresses, extreme heat events will become more frequent, more severe, and longer in duration. Several new state and federal programs aim to protect individuals and communities from the effects of extreme heat.
blog post Climate-Challenged California Must Learn to Thrive with Less Water By Ellen Hanak, Jeffrey Mount Nov 16, 2022 Managing water in our increasingly volatile climate is becoming more challenging: even if we do everything right, water supplies are likely to decline. The grand challenge for 21st-century water management in California is learning to thrive with less.
Report Solar Energy and Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Annabelle Rosser, Ellen Hanak, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Oct 25, 2022 Hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland may come out of production in the San Joaquin Valley in coming decades. At the same time, the state needs to ramp up renewable energy generation to meet climate goals. Could solar development on fallowed land help the valley’s residents? Our new report examines the challenges and opportunities.
blog post Beavers: The Unlikely Climate Hero By Sarah Bardeen Oct 24, 2022 Beavers were once ubiquitous in North America, but trapping and habitat loss decimated their population: there are just 10-15 million beavers in North America today. We asked a beaver restoration expert to tell us more about this unlikely climate hero and its role in restoring streams and meadows.
blog post Californians Want the Government to Do More about Drought, Wildfires, and Climate Change By Deja Thomas, Caitlin Peterson Aug 8, 2022 Californians voiced continued concern over water supply, wildfire, and climate issues in this year’s survey on the environment. And while actions are underway, many think that the state could do more to combat these issues swiftly.
