blog post Are Carbon Offsets Actually Working? By Sarah Bardeen, Caitlin Peterson Nov 15, 2023 In a world that urgently needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, carbon offsets have emerged as one possible solution. We asked PPIC adjunct fellow Van Butsic, a cooperative extension specialist at UC Berkeley who recently studied offsets for a carbon management firm, to tell us more.
Report Priorities for California’s Water By Jeffrey Mount, Letitia Grenier, Ellen Hanak, Caitlin Peterson ... Nov 1, 2023 California has made great strides in preparing for a drier, hotter future, but it remains a challenge to harness the bounty of wet years while also reducing flood risk. How did California’s water sector manage the unusually wet 2023 water year—and what lessons can we glean for the future?
blog post How to Keep Buildings Cool in California’s Warming Climate By Sarah Bardeen Oct 23, 2023 California is getting warmer—and that’s putting strain on residents who are struggling to stay cool. Could better architectural design help? This week, we speak with an expert in passive cooling and carbon-neutral design to learn more.
blog post Californians Are Worried about Wildfires By Lynette Ubois, Mark Baldassare Aug 16, 2023 An overwhelming majority of Californians say the threat of wildfires is a problem in their part of the state. Around one in three residents have a great deal of confidence in government readiness to respond to wildfires.
blog post New State Budget Maintains Water and Natural Resources Funding in an Uncertain Economy By Gokce Sencan Aug 1, 2023 When it comes to state funding for water and natural resource projects, California has typically turned to general obligation bonds as the first resort. The historic budget surpluses of recent years have shaken up this long-standing arrangement, but is that funding source drying up?
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 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.
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.
blog post Video: Californians and the Environment By Stephanie Barton Aug 4, 2022 Researchers Deja Thomas and Rachel Lawler discuss key findings from the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, which examines Californians’ views on drought, wildfires, climate change, and a range of other environmental issues.
