UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

High Tech, Deep Salt, and the Future of Fresh Water: How the Renewable Revolution Can Sustain the Last Free-Flowing Rivers
2019-09-11 15:45 - 16:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | UCLA School of Law, Room 2442, 385 Charles E Young Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
RSVP HERE
The world faces the challenge of expanding electricity generation to meet the needs of growing economies while reducing greenhouse gas emissions to nearly zero by 2050 – all while maintaining the integrity of our world’s ecosystems, including conserving the planet’s remaining free-flowing rivers.
In an afternoon discussion at UCLA School of Law on September 11, 2019. Jeff Opperman, Global Freshwater Lead Scientist at WWF, will describe how growing electricity demands and climate objectives can be achieved while avoiding high-impact hydropower’s negative impacts on the world’s remaining freeflowing rivers. Alex Wang, Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law, will moderate the conversation.
Seating is limited. Please fill out the form here to register. Light refreshments will be provided.
Hosted by UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
Contact Daniel Melling, melling@law.ucla.edu with any questions.

Net Zero 2019 Conference & Expo
2019-10-02 07:00 - 2019-10-04 18:00 | Los Angeles Convention Center 1201 S Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
REGISTER HERE
www.netzeroconference.com

The world’s largest annual net zero building conference!
1,200+ attendees and 100+ exhibitors
Leading global speakers and attendees (9 countries and 23 states represented last year)
6th annual conference
Inspiring keynote speakers
World-class education sessions
Professional networking
Expo Hall with exhibitions from industry-leading companies
Content on net zero energy, water, waste, and transit
See discounted ticket options below

General Schedule:

Wednesday, 10/2: Building Tours (8 am – 5 pm), Net Zero Start Up Competition (3 pm – 5 pm), Pre-Conference Party Hosted by ILFI (6 pm – 10 pm)
Thursday, 10/3: Main Conference & Expo Day (8 am – 5 pm), Robin Hood Benefit Gala (6 pm – 10 pm)
Friday, 10/4: Building Tours (8 am – 5 pm), ILFI Zero Energy Accelerator (8 am – 12 pm)*, ILFI LBC 4.0 Workshop (12:30 pm – 4:30 pm)*, Post-Conference Party Hosted by USGBC-LA (5 pm – 7 pm)

*Tickets sold separately

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Need-Based Conference Tickets:
Thanks to a generous sponsorship from Southern California Edison, a pool of free tickets for need-based attendees is available. If you find the event to be cost-prohibitive to attend, please contact hello@verdicalevents.com for information on how to obtain a free need-based ticket.
Speaker Registration:
Confirmed speakers and panelists receive complimentary registration for the Main Conference Day (10/3) only. If you’re speaking and wish to attend the full conference (10/2 – 10/4), please contact hello@verdicalevents.com to receive a $100 discount on the Full Conference Pass (includes admittance to all Tours, Main Conference, Expo Hall, and the Robin Hood Gala).
City Employee Discount:
City/Municipal Employees are eligible to receive 10% off NZ19 tickets. Please contact hello@verdicalevents.com for more information.
SCE Diverse Supplier Discount:
Southern California Edison-identified diverse suppliers are eligible to receive 10% off NZ19 tickets. Please contact hello@verdicalevents.com for more information. (Applies to first 20 applicants only.)
Volunteer Opportunities:
Interested in volunteering at NZ19? Contact hello@verdicalevents.com for more information. Volunteers will receive complimentary access for all events that take place on the day(s) of volunteering.
Photographic Release: There will be photographers and film crews at the event. By signing up for a registration pass, you understand that you may appear in photographs or film footage from the conference.

Birkha Bawari - Contemporizing Traditional Water Architecture: a 21st Century Step Well in India
2019-10-16 06:00 - 20:00
RSVP Here
Visit the exhibition India’s Subterranean Stepwells: Photographs by Victoria Lautman before the lecture and enjoy light refreshments afterward in the Fowler Amphitheather.
Step-wells, subterranean aqua-structures, were an integral part of Indian communities from 2nd century A.D. until the end of 19th century. Relegated to history in favor of canal and piped water-supply, these exquisite step-wells were gradually abandoned and forgotten. However, with 21st century water crises in India, the ancient wisdom of harnessing water could now be made a part of a new aqua-architecture and sustainable water network.
This lecture is presented given in conjunction with the Fowler Museum’s exhibition “India’s Subterranean Stepwells: Photographs by Victoria Lautman” Victoria Laufman Photographic Exhibit which features, selection of 48 photographs surveys 16 sites built between the 9th and 18th centuries. Lautman’s photographs evoke aspects of each stepwell’s structure, aesthetics, and atmosphere.
The Speakers
The speakers, Architect A. Mridul and Artist/entrepreneur Shilpa Mridul, will talk about their project, Birkha Bawarii. It is fashioned like a step-well, designed and built in Umaid Heritage Housing Township in Jodhpur, a water-stressed city on the fringe of the Thar Desert of India. They will also talk about their efforts to replicate and expand that network, and to integrate the arts, history and culture of the region into this renewal.
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Location: Lenart Auditorium, Fowler Museum at UCLA Auditorium
5:00pm Visit the exhibition India’s Subterranean Stepwells: Photographs by Victoria Lautman
6:00pm A. Mridul and Shipla Mridul Lecture
7:15pm Light refreshments after the Lecture in the Fowler Amphitheather
Copresented by UCLA Water Resources Group, UCLA Department of Geography, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, UCLA Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies, and UCLA Center for Indian and South Asian Studies.

Summit on State & Local Progress Toward 100% Clean Energy
2019-11-06 12:30 - 19:30 | UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
This first-of-its kind, national summit will spotlight the latest progress and insights from leaders advancing and achieving the transformative goal of 100% clean electricity. The convening will facilitate peer-to-peer sharing of best practices. In attendance will be more than 200 invited national leaders, state legislators, city mayors, activists, regulators, and scholars.
Session topics and speakers include:
How Have Cities and Counties Gone to 100% Clean Energy?

Mayor Jackie Biskupski of Salt Lake City, Utah
Mayor Emeritus Bob Dixson of Greensburg, Kansas
Mayor Pro Tem Carmen Ramírez of Oxnard, California

Lessons from State Leaders for 100% Carbon-free Electricity

Senate Pro Tem Emeritus Kevin de León of California
Senator Emeritus Chuck McIlhinney of Pennsylvania
Representative Patricia Roybal Caballero of New Mexico
Representative Gael Tarleton of Washington State

Designing Federal and State Policy for Success

Allison Clements of the Energy Foundation
Hal Harvey of Energy Innovation
Roger Kim of Climate + Clean Energy Equity Fund

By invitation-only. For more information or to request an invitation, please email Colleen Callahan at ccallahan@luskin.ucla.edu.
For more details, see the full event website.

Convening with Child Care Providers on Status of AB 2370
2020-01-29 11:00 - 14:00 | Salvation Army the Siemon Center, 7651 South Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90001, United States
RSVP Here
Learn about and provide your feedback on AB 2370. AB 2370 is a new law that impacts licensed child care centers by requiring them to test their water for lead. Join First 5 LA, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, the Child Care Alliance, and other child care providers to learn about this new law, ask questions to representative from the California Department of Social Services, and provide your feedback to ensure this program is a success. Ample street parking is also available. Refreshments provided. Spanish translation available, if requested.

Energy Innovation Conference 2020
2020-02-28 09:00 - 17:00 | UCLA Anderson School of Management, 110 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
RSVP HERE
The Energy Innovation Conference is an event that brings together students, academics and professionals to showcase companies and technologies with the potential to reinvent the energy industry. This year’s presenters will focus on a number of topics, including Energy Finance, Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Resiliency & Storage.
Our keynote addresses this year will be given by Sarah Slusser, CEO of Cypress Creek Renewables, in a conversation with Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer for UCLA. The Conference will feature panelists, moderators and representatives from 8Minute Energy, Calgren, Chargepoint, Green Tech Media, Griddy, LADWP, Latham & Watkins, Novogradac, Substance Power and Mobility, WoodMackenzie, Zero Waste Energy, and other major players in the energy field.
The conference is attended by over 200 industry professionals, UCLA Anderson students, and students from the UCLA Engineering School.
Keynote Speakers
Sarah Slusser
CEO, Cypress Creek Renewables
Matt Petersen
President and CEO, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Panels
Energy Finance

Novagradac
Latham & Watkins
Angeleno Group

Resiliency & Storage

8Minute Solar
LADWP
Clean Power Alliance
Advanced Sustainability Institute

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Calgren Renewable Fuels
Zero Waste Energy
Griddy

The Human Right to Water in LA County: A Luskin Innovators Series Event on Progress, Persistent Inequities, and Proposed Solutions
2020-03-02 18:00 - 20:00 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Room 2355 337 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
Monday, March 2, 2020 | 6PM-8PM
RSVP Here
Join us to learn about the latest progress, persistent inequities, and proposed solutions to ensure the human right to water for everyone in Los Angeles County. Gregory Pierce, lead of the Luskin Center for Innovation’s water research, will present on key findings from our latest assessment of water systems in the L.A. region. He will be joined by a panel of government and advocacy leaders and other partners.
Confirmed speakers:

Madelyn Glickfeld, Director, UCLA Water Resources Group, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (moderator)
Martha Argüello, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles
Veronica Herrera, UCLA Department of Urban Planning
Paul Novak, Executive Officer, Local Agency Formation Commission for the County of Los Angeles
Adan Ortega, Executive Director, Cal Mutuals
Gregory Pierce, Associate Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Luskin Summit 2020: A Call to Action
2020-04-22 - 2020-05-07 | Online
The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs will wrap up its 25th anniversary celebration with the second convening of a research-informed, cross-sector conversation about major issues facing the Los Angeles region with the Luskin Summit. In light of the health crisis, this event will now be a virtual series of talks.

DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

Charting a Sustainable Recovery: Leveraging Environmental Investment Opportunities with COVID-19 Economic Stimuli
2020-05-22 14:30 - 15:30
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, policymakers are drafting the largest economic stimulus packages in history. These policies offer a tremendous opportunity to invest in sustainability-related initiatives. This webinar will examine:

How should we think about the environment during and after the pandemic?
The recovery from the 2008 recession advanced environmental goals in unprecedented ways. What are lessons from the 2008 recession and the ways it advanced environmental goals that could be adapted today?
What key opportunities and needs exist for environmental investments in COVID economic stimulus packages?
What can the public sector do to advance sustainability goals at the local, state, and federal level? How can investments maximize social, economic, and environmental benefits?

WATCH HERE
This UCLA Luskin Summit session is co-hosted by the Luskin Center for Innovation and the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.
Speakers
J.R. DeShazo
Director
Luskin Center for Innovation
J.R. DeShazo is the Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation at UCLA. He also is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Public Policy in the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA, where he is an expert in environmental economics and planning, as well as climate, energy, water and sustainable transportation policy. He holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from Harvard University and a M.Sc. in Economics from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He was awarded Professor of the Year five times from 2001 to 2019 by the UCLA Masters Program in Public Policy. His recent research has focused on designing cost effective and equitable policies that incentivize clean technology adoption. He has previously advised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, the United Nations, McArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, among many state and local governmental agencies.
Bob Keefe
Executive Director
Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
Bob Keefe is E2’s Executive Director, overseeing E2’s work across the country and coordinating E2’s staff and chapters stretching from Boston to San Diego. Bob speaks regularly about the economic benefits of smart environmental policies; the clean energy economy; jobs and related issues, and has been widely quoted in publications nationwide. Prior to joining E2 in 2011, Bob spent more than 20 years as a political, business and environmental journalist. He served as the chief Washington correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; as a California-based national reporter for Cox Newspapers/Cox News Service; as technology editor for the Austin (Tx) American-Statesman and as a business and investigative reporter for the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times. Bob also co-founded a technology news Web site and has co-authored or edited several business-related books. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a fellow at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Fran Pavley
Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and California State Senator Emeritus
Fran Pavley served 29 years in elected office. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Pavley was elected the first mayor of Agoura Hills in 1982, and served 14 years in the California Assembly and the State Senate. Former State Senator Pavley authored landmark climate policies (AB 1493, AB 32, SB 32, and others) that have created a market for innovation and investment in clean energy and vehicles, which have helped clean up our air, grow the economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As chair of the Senate’s Natural Resources and Water Committee, she was able to pass the state’s first sustainable Groundwater Management Act, promote policies to protect our ocean and watersheds, and adopt measures to create more sustainable local water supplies. She is working as the Environmental Policy Director for the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and serves on several state and local advisory boards and committees.
Matt Petersen
President and CEO
Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)
Prior to joining LACI, Matt Petersen was appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti as the first ever Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles. Serving as CSO for four years, Petersen was the chief architect of the groundbreaking Sustainable City pLAn, led efforts to make LA a global leader in EVs, and helped create the Climate Mayors. Matt co-founded Global Green USA and led the organization for 19 years as President and CEO. The organization was a pioneer in greening of affordable housing, schools, and cities as well as helping grow the solar sector. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Matt put forth a vision and mobilized resources to green the rebuilding of New Orleans, including schools, the Lower 9th Ward, and more. Matt is chair of the Climate Mayors board, and a board member of Global Green USA, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Center for Environmental Health, and the Sir Edmund Hilary Institute for International Leadership. Matt is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the LA Sustainability Leadership Council, and served as an advisor to the Clinton Global Initiative on energy and the environment while a CGI member for 10 years. He has a son, and is a retired AYSO coach.

Adapting to the Pandemic: How Organizations in the San Joaquin Valley Are Responding to Meet Clean Transportation and Livelihood Needs
2020-06-29 14:00 - 15:00
The live webinar has concluded. You can watch the archived webinar here.

Faced with unprecedented conditions, organizations throughout California are pivoting their programming to best serve their communities. This webinar will explore how organizations are innovating with local governments to adapt in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide vital clean transportation, environmental, and food security services to in-need households, as well as larger community economic benefits.

This discussion is part of our Charting a Sustainable Recovery webinar series, which convenes elected officials, civic and business leaders, non-profit advocates, and friends from the philanthropic community to discuss how COVID-19 recovery policies can advance sustainability and environmental health goals in California and beyond.

Insights on Solving the Climate Crisis: A Discussion with California's U.S. Congress Members about Their Climate Action Plan
2020-08-25 14:00 - 15:15 | Online Webinar
REGISTER HERE
Join us for a conversation with members of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis about their new climate action plan. The Congressional Climate Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America offers a detailed, national path to confront climate change.
This webinar will discuss conclusions from the plan, connections to California’s policies, and opportunities and challenges that could arise after the November election. We will also hear from community and academic leaders about their recommendations for an equitable transition.
This webinar is cohosted by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
SPEAKERS
California U.S. Congress Members
Congresswoman Julia Brownley, California’s 26th Congressional District
Congressman Jared Huffman, California’s 2nd Congressional District
Congressman Mike Levin, California’s 49th Congressional District
Respondents
Linda Escalante, Southern California Legislative Director, NRDC
Cecilia V. Estolano, CEO, Better World Group
Dr. Manuel Pastor, Director, USC Equity Research Institute
Janea A. Scott, Vice Chair, California Energy Commission
Hosts
Conyers Davis, Global Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute
J.R. DeShazo, Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Senator Fran Pavley, Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute

Net Zero 2020 Conference & Expo
2020-09-15 08:00 - 2020-09-16 15:00
CLIMATE + CARBON + ENERGY + WATER + WASTE + TRANSIT

This year, we’re bringing the Net Zero Conference to your living room! Join leaders in green at NZ20, the world’s largest net zero building conference and a hub for thought-leaders and industry-shapers in Climate, Carbon, Energy, Water, Waste, and Transit. Our best-in-class virtual platform goes above and beyond to inspire communication, providing attendees with opportunities to engage and ask questions during sessions, tours, and networking events as well as in the Expo Hall — so we can inspire, educate, and evolve our built environment with the same energy we’ve always had.
This two-day event will feature exciting keynotes, cutting-edge educational panels, workshops from innovative leaders in sustainability like the International Living Future Institute and U.S. Green Building Council, premium networking opportunities, the annual Trailblazer Awards Ceremony, and an interactive virtual expo hall featuring leading companies in our industry.
CEUs will be available for AIA, USGBC and LFA credential holders.
Visit www.netzeroconference.com to learn more.
The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation is a promotional partner.

Climate Adaptation Research Symposium 2020: Measuring and Addressing Societal Impacts
2020-09-21 09:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Event
View recordings from the symposium
Join us at this first-of-its-kind, national symposium! The event will feature social science research that measures the scale and scope of climate impacts, as well as how to address those impacts through adaptive markets, public policies, and planning. Learn more on the event webpage.

As global temperatures rise, climate change is causing far-reaching impacts. Communities continue to experience extreme heat waves, destructive wildfires, and devastating floods and storms. Vulnerable and low-income populations feel these impacts the most.
Climate change presents an unprecedented threat—however, researchers are making progress to estimate the impacts of climate change on many aspects of society—health, safety, and wellbeing; migration; economic outputs and productivity—and to offer potential solutions. This arena of research offers a path forward to creating resilient communities and a society that can respond to rapidly changing environmental conditions.
This full-day symposium will highlight recent research measuring the impacts of climate change, particularly on vulnerable populations and communities. The event will also include a parallel focus on strategies to address these impacts. It will foster cross-disciplinary dialogue between researchers and ultimately serve to improve our collective understanding of the climate adaptation research landscape; existing gaps; and how researchers can assist in informing adaptation and resiliency policies that are urgently needed.
The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of the Los Angeles basin and UCLA is grateful to be in service to the indigenous peoples of this area.
Thank you to our event sponsors

Thank you to our event partners

Metro’s Energy Resiliency Symposium
2020-09-22
REGISTER NOW
Join us for the second event of our Energy Resiliency Series, the Energy Resiliency Symposium, to be held on Tuesday, September 22 nd , 2020. The event will feature captivating presentations on concepts and solutions that could help shape Metro’s long-range strategies for energy resiliency. We will also be facilitating a discussion with experts across a range of sectors, including government, industry, and academia to discuss regional context and challenges surrounding resiliency. Panelists include:

Allen G. Cadreau – Founder & CEO, Indian Energy LLC
Arash Saidi – Distributed Energy Resources Development Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
Dr. Fernando Guerra – Director, Center for the Study of Los Angeles & Professor, Political Science and Chicana/o Studies, Loyola Marymount University
Joseph Avila – Senior Director, Energy Policy & Strategy, Southern California Gas Company
Dr. JR DeShazo – Director, Luskin Center for Innovation & Professor, Public Policy, Urban Planning, and Civil and Environmental Engineering, UCLA
Michael Samulon – Senior Policy Analyst, Sustainability, Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
David Erne – Supervisor, Energy Technology Integration, California Energy Commission
Heather Repenning (Moderator) – Executive Officer, Sustainability Policy, LA Metro
Joel B. Farrier (Moderator) – Regional Environmental Manager, Burns & McDonnell

The Symposium will also present an opportunity for a second round of white paper submissions before the Energy Resiliency Summit – tune in to learn more.
About Energy Resiliency at Metro
Metro’s energy resiliency is focused on the three R’s – reliability, redundancy and renewables – Metro’s power system needs to be durable, efficient and cost effective. We are working towards an energy resilient future for Los Angeles County through our long-range planning, operational continuity and environmental stewardship.
About the Energy Resiliency Series
Metro is hosting a series of events to explore and discuss cutting edge energy resiliency concepts and solutions. As we continue to electrify our fleet and buildings, we are seeking cost effective and energy efficient solutions that support our focus on reducing emissions and negative impacts on society and the environment.
Metro kicked off the series with the Energy Resiliency Webcast on May 15, 2020, in which we unveiled an opportunity for selected firms to present technologies and innovations that could help shape Metro’s long-range strategies for energy resiliency through our Request for White Papers . A recording of the Energy Resiliency Webcast and First Round White Paper Q&A Response are available.

Civic Space in LA: Past, Present, Post-Pandemic
2020-10-02 12:00 - 13:30
REGISTER HERE
With the election, pandemic and social justice top of mind, we are thinking about civic space and how society reconnects.
With prospects of improved testing, a vaccine, and potential changes in leadership, how might transportation, public spaces, and neighborhoods evolve? How can urban design affect public health, economics, education and civic life? How can our streets, the primary open spaces in many areas, better accommodate a variety of community needs?
Civicas is co-hosting a free Zoom webinar with UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs and Southern California Institute of Architecture featuring experts from the City and County of Los Angeles. Panelists bring their research, policy and implementation perspectives to this discussion of the past, present, and future of LA’s civic spaces, including equitable solutions for a healthy city in which all can thrive.
For more information about our speakers, please visit civicas.net/events:
Norma Edith García-González, Director, LA County Department of Parks and Recreation
Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, Associate Dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs & Professor of Urban Planning
Barbara Romero, Deputy Mayor of City Services, City of LA
Marrikka Trotter, Architect & Professor of Architectural History, SCI-Arc
Mark Vallianatos, Executive Officer of Innovation, LA Metro, the Office of Extraordinary Innovation
Our panel will focus on some of the equity issues surrounding civic spaces, including parks and streets, that have been exposed by the pandemic, then invite participants to follow up with potential ways to continue this engaging conversation.

Advancing the Theory and Practice of Urban Heat Resilience
2020-10-19 16:00 - 17:00
Join our partner, the Aspen Global Change Institute, for this new workshop that will develop a practice-driven research agenda on urban heat resilience. The Luskin Center’s Associate Director V. Kelly Turner is proudly serving on the organizing committee. While parts of the event are invite-only, the following portions are open to the public.
Call for Posters
Students and early career researchers: Want to share your research on extreme heat with colleagues? Submit your abstract poster by October 13th.
Learn more.
An Equity-Focused Approach to Urban Heat Resilience
Tune into this conversation with Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Deputy Director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, about how we can equitably translate knowledge about urban resilience into practice. The talk will be followed by an interactive poster session.
Learn more.

Pathways to Reducing Transportation-related Fossil Fuel Supply
2020-10-23 09:00 - 11:00 | Online Webinar
REGISER HERE
Join our partners for this event on the 2045 Carbon Neutrality Studies. In these studies, The Luskin Center for Innovation is serving on the research team and evaluating the workforce impacts from this energy transition.
2045 Carbon Neutrality Studies Public Workshops
In recognition of the urgency of climate change, the State of California has funded two studies at the University of California to support California’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Together, the studies will identify pathways to significantly reduce transportation-related fossil fuel demand and, in parallel, manage a strategic, responsible decline in transportation-related fossil fuel supply.
In partnership with the UC Institutes of Transportation Studies (with branches at UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Berkeley, and UCLA), the UC Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment, and the Economy (Policy Institute), the UC Davis Center for Regional Change (CRC), UC Santa Barbara, and Environmental Market Solutions Laboratory (emLab), the two project teams responsible for each carbon neutrality study invite the public to two workshops. Each project team will share information and request feedback from community-based organizations, civil society, labor, and industry, and will use the diverse input to inform their respective research and subsequent final reports, which are scheduled to be provided to CalEPA at the end of 2020.
Study 2 Workshop: Pathways to reducing transportation-related fossil fuel supply
In partnership with the Environmental Market Solutions Laboratory (emLab) and, UC Santa Barbara researchers will share an overview of their baseline data and preliminary research in the second of the two partner studies exploring potential supply-side pathways to carbon neutrality by 2045. The focus of the workshop will be to gather input on environmental, community and industry considerations that will be important in the strategic, managed decline of California’s transportation-related fossil fuel extraction and refining.
Speakers:
David Lea, Professor, UC Santa Barbara
Julie Henderson, Deputy Secretary for Public Policy, CalEPA

Meet and Greet with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
2020-10-23 14:30 - 15:30 | Virtual Event
REGISTER HERE
Learn about student funding opportunities and research that shapes equitable, effective, and innovative environmental policy and other sustainability solutions for the health of people and the planet.
Open to all UCLA students.

The National Security Imperative for Climate Action
2020-10-28 15:30 - 16:45 | Virtual Event
Watch the recorded session here.
View and download the presentation slides here.
The idea that a warming planet threatens stability around the globe is not new. But now we have a critical window to rapidly reduce climate pollution and build resiliency, if we are to avert climate catastrophes. Understanding the impacts of climate change on conflicts between and within nations, as well as the impacts on U.S. military infrastructure and operations, is critical to inform climate mitigation and adaptation action. Join this conversation with U.S. government and academic leaders to explore why and how new national and foreign policy is needed to ensure a more sustainable future.

PARTICIPANTS

Kate Guy, Senior Research Fellow, The Center for Climate & Security (moderator)
William J. Fallon, Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired), Principal, Global Alliance Advisors, LLC
Congressman Ted Lieu, U.S. Representative, CA 33rd District
David Orr, Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics, Oberlin College

Co-Hosts:
UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
This webinar is part of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation’s 100% Clean Energy event series, which kicked off with the Summit on State and Local Progress Toward 100% Clean Energy last fall.

Accelerating Clean Energy Transitions
2021-01-27 11:00 - 12:15 | Virtual Event
Watch the recorded session here
View the presentation slides
Community choice in energy is transforming California’s electricity sector while transitioning the Golden State to carbon-free energy and serving as an effective tool for climate action. Community choice aggregators (CCAs) offer communities control over their electricity purchasing decisions.
Join us for this webinar, which features new research on how CCAs have exceeded California’s renewable energy targets and how rapid CCA growth has resulted in investor-owned utilities to also outpace California’s requirements for renewable energy. Then a discussion with energy leaders in California will address opportunities, concerns, and recommendations for the future of CCAs, clean energy policy, and system reliability in California and beyond.
Presenters:

Kelly Trumbull, Energy and Climate Project Manager, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Beth Vaughan, Executive Director of CalCCA

Panelists:

Angelina Galiteva, Chair, California Independent System Operator
Tom Habashi, CEO, Central Coast Community Energy
Edward Randolph, Deputy Executive Director for Energy and Climate Policy, California Public Utilities Commission
JR DeShazo (Moderator) Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Covering The Coast
2021-01-30 12:00 - 13:30
Register Here
Join the UCLA Water Resources Group for a conversation about the legacy of ocean pollution on the California coast in an era of climate change and other stressors.

Rosanna Xia will discuss her work as an environmental reporter and storyteller for the Los Angeles Times, including the story she broke in the fall about decades of previously unknown DDT dumping in the Catalina Channel.
In the second part of the event, Mark Gold (Deputy Secretary, Coast and Oceans, California Natural Resources Agency) and Sean Hecht (Faculty, UCLA Law School) will join to discuss the implications of this DDT dumping ground and what can be done about it. Jon Christensen (Professor at the UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability) will moderate both conversations.
Zoom link will be emailed to registered attendees prior to the event!
Co-sponsored by:
The Graduate Student Environmental Humanities Research Group at UCLA
The Graduate Student Water Resources Group at UCLA
UCLA Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies (LENS)
UCLA Water Resource Group at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
UCLA Law School
UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
Heal the Bay
Speaker bios
Rosanna Xia is an environment reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She covers the coast and has written about sea level rise, toxic dumping and endangered species in the deep ocean. Her stories connect science and policy and have led to new laws and regulations. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2020 for explanatory reporting.
Mark Gold is Executive Director of OPC and the Deputy Secretary for Ocean and Coastal Policy for the California Natural Resources Agency. He serves as a key advisor to Governor Newsom and the Secretary of Natural Resources and directs policy, scientific research, and critical partnerships to increase protection of coastal and ocean resources in California.
Sean B. Hecht is the Co-Executive Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, and Evan Frankel Professor of Policy and Practice, at UCLA School of Law. He works with students to serve environmental organizations and government agencies in his role as co-director of the Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic.
Jon Christensen teaches and conducts multidisciplinary research at UCLA focusing on equity and the environment, strategic environmental communication, and journalism, media, and storytelling. He is an adjunct assistant professor in the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Luskin Center for Innovation, Department of History, and Center for Digital Humanities at UCLA.

Preparing for Even Wilder Wildfires
2021-02-04 11:00 - 12:00
Watch Here
Wildfires ravaged an unprecedented amount of California in the past 12 months. This session will explore the impacts of wildfires on health, low-income housing, and small water systems, as well as highlight innovative tactics to increase resiliency, especially for populations that are most vulnerable to wildfire.
Speakers

Karen Baker, Co-Chair of Listos California & Advisor, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
J.R. DeShazo, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs (moderator)
Michael Jerrett, UCLA School of Public Health
Julia Kim, Climate & Energy Program Director, Local Government Commission
Justin Knighten, Co-Chair of Listos California & Advisor, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Gregory Pierce, UCLA Urban Planning Department and Luskin Center for Innovation

A Landmark Opportunity for Park Equity
2021-02-17 11:00 - 12:30
Watch the recorded webinar here
Download the presentation slides here
The pandemic has proved the importance of public parks for our physical and mental well-being, as well as the environmental health of our communities. During this watershed moment, new funding and initiatives offer an opportunity to improve access to public spaces for all. This discussion will illuminate new pathways to increase park equity in Los Angeles and beyond.
Speakers

Jon Christensen, Affiliated Faculty, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (moderator)
Angela Barranco, Undersecretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Norma García, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation
Alfredo Gonzalez, Southern California Director, Resources Legacy Fund

LABC’s Mayoral Housing, Transportation and Jobs Summit
2021-02-19 07:45 - 14:30

UCLA Anderson Energy Innovation Conference 2021
2021-02-26 09:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
Register Here
Join CEOs and executives from the Environmental Defense Fund, Microsoft, Southern California Edison and other pioneering firms for a one-day virtual conference focused on reinventing the energy industry.
UCLA Anderson’s annual Energy Innovation Conference brings together students and professionals to cover a range of topics including decarbonization, grid modernization, and a more equitable energy future for all.
The event will be virtual this year, held on the Engagez conferencing platform. Attendance is free for all students. A $15 donation to Anderson’s Energy Management Group is suggested for alumni and industry professionals.
View the program.
The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation is proud to serve as a sponsor for the event.

SAFER: Needs Assessment Results
2021-04-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Virtual Event
Register Here.
This webinar will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to learn about the State Water Board’s Needs Assessment results. The State Water Board will provide an overview of the results of the Risk Assessment (public water systems, state small water systems, and domestic wells), Cost Assessment, and Affordability Assessment.
AGENDA

Overview of Needs Assessment
Risk Assessment Results
Public Water Systems
State Small Water Systems and Domestic Wells
Cost Assessment Results
Affordability Assessment Results

The focus of this webinar is to provide an overview of the Needs Assessment results. The State Water Board has been hosting public webinar workshops to provide opportunities for stakeholders to learn about and contribute to the development of the Needs Assessment methodologies. The Risk Assessment for public water systems identifies systems (starting with 3,300 or less service connections) and K-12 schools that are at-risk of failing to provide adequate safe drinking water. The Risk Assessment for state small water systems and domestic wells identifies areas where systems and households may be accessing groundwater that does not meet primary drinking water standards (maximum contaminant level or MCL). The Cost Assessment results will estimate the costs related to the implementation of interim and longer-term solutions for systems on the Human Right to Water list and At-Risk systems. The Cost Assessment also includes the identification of available funding sources and the funding gaps that may exist to support these solutions. The Affordability Assessment will identify community water systems that serve disadvantaged communities that must charge their customers’ fees that exceed the affordability threshold established by the State Water Board in order to provide adequate safe drinking water.

Plastic Pollution and Possible Solutions
2021-04-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Register Here
More Info
Plastic pollution has long been a problem affecting people and the planet’s health locally and globally. The recent upheaval in the global recycling and waste industry, followed by the pandemic, has deepened the challenges and necessity for change. Why have existing policies failed us? California lawmakers and corporate leaders have taken and proposed innovative steps in recent years, but are they enough?
A panel of policy, corporate and academic leaders will discuss the need and strategies for a more closed loop, less wasteful economy.

What does corporate social responsibility around recycling and waste reduction look like in the absence of effective legislation? What is the responsibility of the private sector to address public interest more broadly?
Where are our recycling and composting policies headed? How could California policymakers advance a closed loop, circular system approach? How would effective laws address both supply and demand for recyclables?
A role for everyone: What is the role of plastic manufacturers and product distributors, the broader private sector, and the public at large to reduce waste?

SPEAKERS

Congressman Alan Lowenthal, U.S. Representative, California’s 47th Congressional District

Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer, Nike
Rita Kampalath, Sustainability Program Director, Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office
Charles Corbett, Professor of Operations Management and Sustainability; IBM Chair in Management (moderator)
Daniel Coffee, Researcher, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

CO-HOSTS

UCLA Impact@Anderson
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Register for Additional Sessions
ABOUT UCLA ANDERSON’S IMPACT WEEK
This webinar is part of UCLA Anderson’s Impact Week, which celebrates our community’s commitment to creating a more equitable, just, and sustainable society. With a theme of “Power to Change,” Impact Week 2021 will spotlight ideas, practices, and skills that business leaders need to change their organizations and industries in support of social justice, economic inclusion, environmental sustainability, quality healthcare, educational equity, and other important global goals.
Impact Week is organized by UCLA Anderson’s Impact@Anderson Center and the Net Impact MBA Chapter, in collaboration with partners within the business school and across the broader UCLA community. The program is open to all students, alumni, prospective applicants, industry professionals, and the public.

A California Agenda for Equity-Centered Clean Transportation
2021-05-19 14:30 - 16:00 | Virtual Event
Register here
The Los Angeles Business Council Institute is pleased to share the findings from our new study, A California Agenda for Equity-Centered Clean Transportation, authored by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
This research represents a new strategy to expand and identify how to measure household and community scale progress toward expanding equitable access to clean transportation and recommendations to develop a feasible agenda for near- and long-term equity-centered policies.
The study is the result of a partnership with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, who were tasked with leading the development of the state’s Zero Emission Vehicle Market Development Strategy, and stakeholders representing municipal government, environmental and environmental justice organizations, major employers, and more.
Speakers:

J.R. DeShazo, Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Tyson Eckerle, Deputy Director, Zero Emission Vehicles, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
Commissioner Patty Monahan, California Energy Commission
Analisa Bevan, Assistant Division Chief Sustainable Transportation and Communities Division, California Air Resources Board

Environmental Health Equity: Moving from Evidence to Action
2021-06-02 12:00 - 13:15 | Virtual Event
Register here
This webinar is hosted by our partners at the California Initiative for Health Equity & Action and is cosponsored by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
Wildfires, air toxins, and various other environmental hazards disproportionately burden low-income communities of color and contribute to adverse health outcomes. Urgent action to address environmental inequities is necessary in order to improve community health.
This event will bring together environmental health researchers and community-based advocates to provide insights that can guide policy recommendations and advance environmental health equity. Speakers will discuss environmental justice as it relates to their research surrounding climate change, air quality, and prenatal exposures.
Speakers:

Amy Padula, Associate Professor, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
Camila H. Alvarez, PhD, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of California, Merced
Dr. Michael Méndez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning and Policy, University of California, Irvine
Omar Paz Jr., Lead Organizer, North Bay Jobs with Justice

LABC's Sustainability Summit: Accelerating California’s Climate Leadership
2021-06-11 08:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Event
Register here
The Los Angeles Business Council’s 15th Annual Sustainability Summit is hosted virtually in partnership with USC President, Dr. Carol Folt, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
The Summit will tackle pressing issues, including:

The national agenda for clean energy and climate change
How the nation’s largest municipal utility is moving toward 100% renewable energy
Ensuring equity in the transition to clean transportation
Securing and investing in water conservation and resources
Preparing for the 2021 United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) and the Race to Zero

Featuring:

U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, United States Senate
Arnold Schwarzenegger, 38th Governor of California
State Senator Henry Stern, California State Senate
Jennifer Kropke, Director of Energy Jobs, U.S. Department of Energy
Wade Crowfoot, Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Scott Kirby, Chief Executive Officer, United Airlines
Jason Barrett, Senior Vice President, Sales, GAF Energy
Mary Nichols, former Chair, California Air Resources Board
Dr. Manuel Pastor, Distinguished Professor and Director, USC Equity Research Institute
