blog post A Large California Water Utility Prepares for Climate Change By Sarah Bardeen Jun 27, 2022 How is one of the state’s major water utilities dealing with climate change? We talked to Ken Jenkins, Cal Water’s chief water resource sustainability officer, about his efforts to improve water supply resilience in the face of worsening droughts and other climate-related challenges.
blog post Budget Surplus Divides Californians By Dean Bonner Jun 2, 2022 While most Californians hold an optimistic view of the state budget, they are divided on how to spend a historically large surplus.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas May 25, 2022 Key finding include: Rising prices, the economy, and housing are the top issues for Californians. Most approve of the $18 billion package that Governor Newsom has proposed to address inflation. Majorities think the nation is headed in the wrong direction and anticipate bad economic times in the next year. For the November midterm elections, most likely voters favor the Democratic candidate in their House district and prefer a candidate who wants Roe v. Wade kept in place.
blog post Commentary: Four Strategies for Managing California’s Crucial Watershed By Ellen Hanak, Greg Gartrell May 23, 2022 California is not doing a good job of tracking changes to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and its watershed. In our recent commentary, we argue that’s making it even tougher to manage the water that is available for the benefit of the state’s communities, economy, and environment.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Tracking Where Water Goes in a Changing Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta By Greg Gartrell, Jeffrey Mount, Ellen Hanak May 16, 2022 The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta supplies water to roughly 30 million Californians, over 6 million acres of farmland, and countless ecosystems. But the watershed’s climate is changing: recent decades have seen record warmth, higher evaporation, and declining snowpack. We track where the water is going—and how to adapt.
blog post Video: Farming in a State of Extremes By Sarah Bardeen Apr 26, 2022 Last week, we brought together a panel of experts to discuss how the drought is affecting California’s farming regions—and what steps could be taken to soften the economic blow and improve the state’s resilience.
event Building California’s Future Apr 26, 2022 How can we leverage recent investments in infrastructure to build a brighter future for all Californians? Join PPIC vice president and senior fellow Lande Ajose for a conversation with state and local leaders about the critical role of infrastructure in promoting opportunity, equity, and sustainability for the state’s diverse communities.
blog post Will Infrastructure Investments Mean Better Jobs for Californians? By Daniel Payares-Montoya, Shannon McConville, Sarah Bohn Apr 25, 2022 Substantial new public spending on infrastructure has the potential to increase economic mobility in California, though a share of the newly created jobs likely will be in low-paying occupations.
event Farming in a State of Extremes Apr 21, 2022 California’s agricultural sector is the nation’s largest: it generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. But the ongoing drought is taking a toll on agriculture, related sectors, and rural communities. Join us for a panel discussion about the drought’s impacts on farming regions—and how the state and other actors can best respond to looming challenges.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Drought and California’s Agriculture By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Josué Medellín-Azuara, Ellen Hanak, John Abatzoglou Apr 13, 2022 California’s agricultural sector is the nation’s largest: it generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. The ongoing drought is taking a toll on agriculture, related sectors, and rural communities, but there are ways to increase resilience in a warming world.
