UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

A Landmark Opportunity for Park Equity
2021-02-17 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Click to enlarge
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.

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 | 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.

Los Angeles County Sustainability Plan: Gearing Up Economic Opportunity and Jobs
2019-07-17 10:00 - 14:00 | University of Southern California, Doheny Memorial Library, Room 240, 3550 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, United States
RSVP HERE
We invite you to join the Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office for a discussion of the LA County Sustainability Plan and its potential to promote and expand new business opportunities in the United States’ most populous county and the world’s third largest metropolitan economy.
A diverse group of business leaders, County officials, and economic and workforce development specialists from across California will examine the sustainability plan’s potential to drive economic and job growth. Join us to discuss how the plan will shape the future economy of LA County by accelerating demand for advanced transportation, renewable energy, energy efficient infrastructure, and urban greening while supporting strategic and inclusive workforce development practices.
Speakers include:
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County, Second District
Senator Fran Pavley, Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute
JR DeShazo, Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Gary Gero, Chief Sustainability Officer, Los Angeles County
Wendy Butts, CEO, Los Angeles Conservation Corps
Sam Jammal, Senior Manager of Government Relations Western Region, BYD
Bob Keefe, Executive Director, Environmental Entrepreneurs
Mia Lehrer, President, Studio-MLA
Mary Leslie, President, Los Angeles Business Council
Ron Miller, Executive Secretary, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building & Construction Trades Council
Estelle Reyes, SVP, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Caroline Torosis, Program Manager, Department of Workforce Development, Aging, and Community Services
Co-hosts:
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge
USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and the
USC Center for Sustainability Solutions

Charting California's Course on the Environment from Brown to Newsom and Beyond
2019-06-06 09:00 - 17:00 | UCLA School of Law, Room 1347, 385 Charles E Young Dr. E, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
RSVP Here
Sponsored by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, Emmett Institute on Climate Change, and the Environment at UCLA School of Law
Over the period spanning Governor Brown’s four terms in office, California cemented its identity as a pioneer of forward-thinking environmental law. California’s stance on climate and energy policy has marked the state as a national, and even global, force. At home, however, California continues to face entrenched environmental issues: the use and movement of water, the development of fossil fuel resources, and a housing affordability struggle that raises deep questions about land use policy.
This symposium will explore California’s status and future as an environmental pioneer. Panelists will examine the successes and challenges faced during Governor Brown’s tenure in office, taking a close look at the complexities of the state’s environmental policy commitments and what they have meant for California, the nation, and the international community. With Governor Newsom now at the helm, we will also look at today’s environmental leadership opportunities: both to stay the course and to build upon it.
Confirmed speakers

Keynote speaker: Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Ken Alex, Director, Project Climate, Berkeley Law
Ann Carlson, Shirley Shapiro Professor of Environmental Law and Faculty Co-Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law
E. Joaquin Esquivel, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board
Yana Garcia, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs, CalEPA
Gladys Limón, Executive Director, California Environmental Justice Alliance
Liane Randolph, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Julia Stein, Supervising Attorney, Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic and Project Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law

AGENDA
9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Breakfast and check-in
9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks: Mary D. Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Break
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Panel 1: Problems and Opportunities at Scale: Facing California’s Greatest Environmental Challenges
California attempted fixes to some of its most complex problems during Governor Brown’s time in office: the state’s perennial water woes, ongoing questions about environmental equity and justice, and, of course, climate change and energy questions. What progress have we made over the last two gubernatorial terms? Did some of those Goliaths get the better of us? This panel will consider the unique roads traveled to address some of the state’s highest profile issues, and successes and failures along the way. The panel will discuss lessons learned from efforts to tackle big, intractable statewide issue with numerous entrenched stakeholder interests, and will look forward to the future of these projects and policies during the Newsom administration.
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Lunch
12:45 – 2:00 p.m.
Panel 2: “We’ll launch our own damn satellite”: California As A National and Global Force
Establishing California as a globally-recognized proving ground for innovation means not only making ambitious policy at home, but also working with—and sometimes against—federal and international actors to advance those policy goals. This panel will examine California’s relationships with the federal government and international community over the course of Brown’s tenure and into the present day, with a particular focus on the state’s prominent role as a powerful subnational actor in advocating for climate policies. How much influence has California had, and can it continue to have, on environmental policy outside its borders? Panelists will look ahead to continued opportunities for California’s leadership in this area.
2:00 – 2:10 p.m.
Break
2:10 – 3:25 p.m.
Panel 3: Building on Jerry: Tackling Housing and Transportation
California’s long struggle to provide affordable housing for its residents came to a head during the last few years of Governor Brown’s term, and Governor Newsom has signaled that housing is a key priority for his administration. At the same time, California has committed itself to ever more ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, which cannot be met without meaningful changes in the transportation sector. But improving access to affordable, sustainable, equitable transportation remains a significant challenge. As California works to house its residents and combat climate change, questions about the compatibility of these two policy goals are being raised. This panel will explore the makings of the housing crisis and lessons learned from Governor Brown’s tenure and will consider how California can meet its considerable housing and transportation challenges moving forward, while continuing to make progress on climate and other environmental goals.
3:25 – 3:35 p.m.
Afternoon break
3:35 – 4:15 p.m.
Closing remarks
4:15 – 5:00 p.m.
Reception: Law Courtyard

The Four Worlds of Carbon Politics: A Talk with Michael L. Ross, UCLA Political Science
2019-05-22 12:00 - 13:00 | UCLA Bunche Hall, Room 10383, 315 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
RSVP HERE
ABOUT THE TALK:
Why have so few countries taken strong measures to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions? We develop a novel theory to explain variation in carbon policies across countries and over time, based on the sectoral composition of a country’s economy and its position in the global economy. It suggests that the fossil fuel needs of four economic sectors – manufacturing, services, agriculture, and minerals extraction – largely determine both a country’s policies on carbon emissions and the emissions themselves. As long as countries maintain the relative size of these sectors, their carbon policies and emissions trajectories remain stable; when the mix of sectors changes, their energy policies and carbon emissions also change. Our theory’s implications are grim: we should not expect countries to reform their carbon policies, or curtail their fossil fuel consumption, unless they undergo major economic restructuring. Empirically we validate the model by showing that a country’s sectoral composition is strongly associated with the best available measure of energy policies: gasoline taxes and subsidies in 157 countries from 2003 to 2015, drawn from an original dataset. This may help explain why countries have been so slow to curtail their greenhouse gas emissions, despite the catastrophic implications of climate change.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Michael L. Ross is Professor in the UCLA Department of Political Science and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. He is also the Executive Director and co-founder of the Project on Resources and Governance. Ross has published widely on the political and economic problems of resource-rich countries, civil war, democracy, and gender rights. His most recent book, The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Wealth Shapes the Development of Nations was translated into Arabic, Russian, Portuguese and Japanese and was named an “Outstanding Academic Title”by Choice magazine. He is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for Global Development, and serves on the editorial boards for World Politics and Comparative Political Studies, the advisory boards of the Natural Resources Governance Institute and the Payne Institute and was previously a member of the US Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s Multi Stakeholder Group and the World Bank’s Extractive Industries Review.
This event is co-sponsored by the UCLA Burkle Center, the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
EVENT PARKING:
The closest parking is located in Parking Structure 3. For Pay-by-Plate Parking, park and then use a Pay Station to purchase parking. For a map and directions, click here.
Sponsor(s): Burkle Center for International Relations, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

SGC's Climate Change Research Program - Listening Session
2019-05-08 13:30 - 15:00 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Room 2343, 337 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Hosted by the Strategic Growth Council (SGC)
In collaboration with the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI)
RSVP Here
The SGC’s Climate Change Research Program staff will host Listening Sessions throughout the state, to learn from non-traditional research partners about how the SGC’s research investments can support climate research that engages and benefits communities in California.
On May 8, 2019, a Listening Session will take place at UCLA. LCI director J.R. DeShazo will give welcome remarks. LCI is part of two Round I Partnership Grants awarded through the SGC’s Climate Change Research Program. Read more about these initiatives here.
Potential workshop participants/research partners include:

Community-based organizations – including civic, community, and advocacy groups
Federal research agencies and departments
Local land use agencies, departments, and organizations
Local health agencies, departments, and organizations
Non-profit organizations – including conservation, environmental justice and natural resources
Open space landowners and recreation providers
Private sector businesses
Regional agencies – focused on transportation, resources, and infrastructure
Regional climate collaboratives
Tribes

In November 2019, SGC will release the Round 3 Solicitation for its Climate Change Research Program, describing Council priorities for directing $10 million in pending budget appropriations. During the meeting on May 8th, SGC staff will invite your input to inform how SGC can better address community priorities in this and other future rounds of the program. Specifically, staff will ask prospective research partners to discuss:

How the program’s emphasis on meaningful engagement and science to action supports or could better support the research questions that need to be addressed within their community,
How researchers can launch robust, diverse, and unique multi-stakeholder partnerships with organizations that can transform research into action, and
Tips and past experiences on how your organization has successfully partnered with members of the research community.

For information about the Climate Change Research program, visit http://sgc.ca.gov/programs/climate-research/
To review the SGC’s Research Investment Plan, go to http://sgc.ca.gov/programs/climate-research/docs/20181003-Approved-Research_Investment_Plan.pdf

LUSKIN SUMMIT 2019: LIVABLE L.A.
2019-04-24 08:30 - 13:00 | UCLA Luskin Conference Center 425 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
REGISTER HERE
This April, our School will mark its 25th anniversary with the inaugural convening of a research-informed, cross-sector conversation about the major issues facing the Los Angeles region.
The summit will focus not on problems but on solutions.
Session Topics

Preparing to Thrive in a Hotter Los Angeles
Why Access to Safe, Affordable Water Is Still a Challenge in Metro Los Angeles
Dealing with Disruption: From Public Transit to Public Mobility
Growing Inequality in Los Angeles – Jobs and Housing
Census 2020 and Its Impact on Los Angeles
Can Decarceration Make Los Angeles Safer?
Unveiling of the 2019 Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index

Featured Presenters

Elected officials, including several mayors of L.A.-area cities
Decision-makers in government and business
UCLA scholars
Civic leaders
Difference-makers in the nonprofit and philanthropic spheres

Agenda
Breakfast: 8:30 a.m.
Keynote Address: 9 a.m.
Breakout Discussions: 9:45 – 11:30 a.m.
Closing Plenary Session: 11:45 a.m.

13th Annual Sustainability Summit
2019-04-05 07:00 - 14:30 | The Getty Center 1200 Getty Center Dr Los Angeles, CA 90049, United States
This year’s Summit will focus on why climate resiliency is key to future economic growth, how California’s renewable energy market is growing far beyond its borders and how conservation and new technologies will affect the state’s water resources.
More details and registration link to come.

Designing Light-Duty Vehicle Incentives for Low- and Moderate-Income Households
2019-03-21 10:00 - 17:00 | California Environmental Protection Agency, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA, 95814, United States
Join the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and the California Air Resources Board for the upcoming Research Seminar, “Designing Light-Duty Vehicle Incentives for Low- and Moderate-Income Households”
Location: Sierra Hearing Room, Second Floor, Cal EPA Headquarters, 1001 “I” Street, Sacramento, CA
WEBCAST | More Information
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Transportation equity has become an increasingly important policy driver in California during the last few years, and Senate Bill 350 tasked the California Air Resources Board (CARB) with identifying barriers that low-income households face in accessing clean transportation. Understanding how low- and moderate-income California households make vehicle purchase and retirement decisions will inform CARB’s clean vehicle and mobility incentive programs that target these households. This study assessed the impact of new and used vehicle incentives to promote the retirement of functional, high-emitting vehicles and increase adoption of advanced clean vehicles by this population. Additionally, the study examined the vehicle holdings, vehicle purchase decision-making and financing, travel patterns, and barriers to vehicle access by households in the target population. A statewide, representative survey of 1,604 low- and moderate-income households forms the basis of this study.
Results indicate that low- and moderate-income Californians value their vehicles, as they have the same number of vehicles as the statewide average, which is two vehicles per household. Overall, slightly more low- and moderate-income households bought their last vehicle used versus new, 57% versus 43%, but those with annual incomes less than $25,000 were much more likely to have bought a used vehicle. The overall mean purchase price for the household’s main vehicle was almost $14,000, which is over half of their yearly income. The average vehicle reported by the survey respondents is about eleven years old with 88,832 miles per self-reported odometer reading, and with an average fuel efficiency of 23.5 miles per gallon.
Through analyzing the results of a vehicle choice experiment included in the survey, the research team found that offering vehicle rebates significantly increases the adoption of new and used advanced clean vehicles. Specifically, the adoption of conventional hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with purchase incentives of $2,500, $5,000, and $9,500 increased the hypothetical purchase rates by approximately 20%, 40%, and 60-80%, respectively across vehicle types compared to no incentive. In contrast, offering guaranteed loans had a small and uneven effect on the propensity to purchase these vehicles.
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Speakers Biography
J. R. DeShazo, Ph.D., directs the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and is the Chair of the Department of Public Policy in the Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angles. He holds joint appointments within UCLA’s Institute of Environment and Sustainability as well as the Urban Planning and Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments. Dr. DeShazo’s research has focused on the design and evaluation of climate and air pollution control policies, the electrification of the transportation sector, clean energy procurement and efficiency programs and the performance of community choice energy/aggregators. He has advised the US Department of Energy, California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, the California Air Resources Board, and various utilities including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Southern California Edison, and Sonoma County, among others. He holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning with a concentration in economics from Harvard University, a master’s of science in Development Economics from Oxford University, St. Antony’s College where he was also a Rhodes Scholar, and a bachelor’s from the College of William and Mary.
Greg Pierce, Ph.D., is the Associate Director of Research at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. Greg also serves as a senior researcher at the Center, leading the Advanced Transportation, Environmental Equity and Sustainable Water initiatives. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the UCLA Department of Urban Planning. Dr. Pierce’s research on transport and water as a basic resource/service provision and access for disadvantaged or marginalized populations takes place at three connected scales the state, the metropolitan and the household. Current and past sponsors of this work include the California Air Resources Board, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the Strategic Growth Council, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department, The Resources Legacy Fund, the UC Multicampus Research Initiative, the UC Institute of Transportation Studies and the UCLA Grand Challenge. He has published 25+ peer-reviewed journal articles. Greg received a Ph.D. in Urban Planning in 2015 and an M.A. in Urban Planning in 2011, both from UCLA.
