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.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Jul 27, 2022 Key findings include: Three in ten Californians name water supply and drought as the state’s top environmental issue; nearly seven in ten say the water supply is a big problem in their part of the state. More than half of Californians say higher gas prices have caused financial hardship, and more than four in ten are upset about the current rate of inflation. Most Californians oppose offshore drilling, and an overwhelming majority want to prioritize alternative energy over oil, coal, and natural gas. But views are divided along party lines. Democrats are much more likely than independents and Republicans to support key state climate change policies.
Report Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley By Andrew Ayres, Jaymin Kwon, Joy Collins Jul 20, 2022 Agricultural operations and wind erosion are two of the largest sources of dust in the San Joaquin Valley, and the valley’s air quality may decline with increased farmland fallowing and a warmer, drier climate. This will impact low-income, rural communities first and foremost, but proactive management can help identify high-risk areas and direct funding to cost-effective interventions.
blog post Californians Support Actions to Address Climate Change By Alyssa Dykman, Alvar Escriva-Bou Sep 23, 2019 Strong majorities of residents favor the key strategies that state policymakers have taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
blog post Californians Favor Stronger Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions By Rachel Lawler Aug 7, 2019 Majorities of Californians support requiring automakers to reduce emissions in new cars and changing land use and transportation planning to encourage less driving.
press release Record-High Share of Californians Concerned About Global Warming Making Wildfires More Severe Jul 29, 2019
blog post The State of Wildfire Risk Reduction in California By Lori Pottinger Jul 22, 2019 The state is trying to reduce future wildfire risks with new programs, policies, and increased funding. We talked to Van Butsic of UC Berkeley about these efforts.
blog post Governor’s Budget Targets Safe Drinking Water, Wildfires, Healthy Soils By Gokce Sencan, Henry McCann Jan 23, 2019 Governor Newsom’s first proposed state budget addresses several critical water and natural resource management challenges.
blog post Video: A Conversation with Congressman Kevin McCarthy By Mary Severance Aug 21, 2018 House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and PPIC president Mark Baldassare had a wide-ranging conversation about the relationship between California and the federal government in several areas, including tax reform, immigration, health care, water policy, wildfire management, and fuel emissions standards.
