Center for Law, Energy, & The Environment

Support CLEE Through Your Donor-Advised Fund A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is like a charitable investment account: you contribute cash or other assets, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to organizations you care about [...

Happy #DAFDay! Make a commitment to a more sustainable and equitable future through your Donor Advised Fund. Learn more about how you can make a tax-advantaged gift to CLEE with your DAF. www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...

Billions spent, miles to go: The story of California’s failure to build high-speed rail California’s dream of building a high-speed rail system is a cautionary tale of ambition outpacing funding, planning, and federal support.

17 years ago, Californians voted for a revolutionary change within travel. A recent article by @grist.org details the progress and pitfalls of California's high-speed rail project.

🚆CLEE's Ethan Elkind comments on pathways forward. Read the article:
grist.org/transportati...

Amid a data center boom, California lawmakers pass a bill to track water use The AI-driven data center boom is adding strain on the West’s water. New legislation in California would require data centers to report how much water they use.

Michael Kiparsky, director of @cleeberkeley.bsky.social's Wheeler Water Institute, spoke to @latimes.com about the AI-driven data center strain on the West’s water. He said requiring data on water use is a good first step, but officials may not know what to do with that number alone: lat.ms/4nGIbUN

California bill would require builders to release how much water data facilities use As California's population grows, the pressure increases on its finite natural resources. And one of those, water, is the subject of some concern, with the increase in data generation in the State.

"The data centers that we see now will just multiply. And their need to cool their servers will multiply along with them." - Michael Kiparsky, director of the @cleeberkeley.bsky.social Wheeler Water Institute, spoke to @cbsnews.com about water use in data centers: https://cbsn.ws/4mD4bPr

New State Climate Plan To Reduce Energy Costs, Fortify Grid | KQED We’ll take a closer look at the changes and trade-offs and what they mean for you.

"We need to look at the bigger picture. Electricity rates have gone up about 50 percent in the last five years... high rates undermine our climate goals."

Listen to @ethanelkind.bsky.social, director of @cleeberkeley.bsky.social on @kqedforum.bsky.social: bit.ly/3IIKsjx #UCBerkeleyLaw

Costs of Climate Change Financial Impacts on California and U.S. Households September 2025 The costs of climate change are enormous and affect every sector of the economy. Disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires, and heat...

🌍 Climate change is driving up costs across every sector of the economy, with California already experiencing severe impacts.

CLEE’s latest report summarizes available research on how climate change is affecting costs to U.S. and California households and businesses.

🔗
tinyurl.com/8thw6ybr

Scientists take on Trump: these researchers are fighting back Through lawsuits, grant tracking, whistle-blowing and more, resistance to the US war on science is growing.

A recent article in @nature.com highlights how scientists are taking action through lawsuits, whistleblowing, data transparency projects, and public advocacy to challenge the research funding cuts.

📰 Read more: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Another California home insurer seeks premium hike CSAA, California's fifth-largest insurer, is asking state regulators for permission to increase its homeowners' insurance premiums.

In a recent @newsweek.com CLEE’s Dave Jones comments on the affects of #climatechange on the insurance industry.

📰 Read more > www.newsweek.com/another-cali...

Frontiers | Enhancing water security and landscape resilience through multibenefit land repurposing Achieving water sustainability in many water-scarce regions will require reducing consumptive water use by converting irrigated agricultural land to less wat...

A new article CLEE Wheeler Water Institute Director, Mike Kiparsky, co-authored in Frontiers in Water describes how, in #water-scarce regions of the world, multibenefit land repurposing offers a promising alternative to idling cropland.

🌾 Read the report: www.frontiersin.org/journals/wat...

The latest report from the Equitable Climate Infrastructure Investment initiative is available online.

“Mapping California State Investments in Climate and Communities" details the civic infrastructure created by state investments across the North and Central Coasts of CA.

🔗 tinyurl.com/4fzy5h24

Lunch & Learn flyer with a wind turbine in the background. Notes event title, CLEE logo, partner logos, date, and speakers with their headshots.

Join CLEE + Orrick on Oct 8 for a lunchtime panel on recent IRA Reforms: State-Level Climate Action & Policy Implications. The event will be held at Orrick SF and on Zoom.
🔗 Join in person: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
🔗 Join on Zoom: berkeley.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

CLEE’s first Lunch & Learn of the academic year featured three Berkeley Law alumni who have forged careers in government practice. The panelists discussed how students can pursue a path that fuels their passion. Sign up for the E&E newsletter for updates on future events! tinyurl.com/3knh6pkt

Image of two speakers at the E&E Fall Welcome Mixer

Event poster - E&E Fall Welcome Mixer

We had a great time at yesterday evening's Fall Welcome Mixer for students of Environment and Energy Law. Thanks to all who came out! 🍁

Subscribe to our E&E newsletter to stay up-to-date on future events and opportunities: docs.google.com/forms/d/1Dek...

$2 million gift to UC Berkeley Law fuels project to help reimagine America’s oil and gas industry The gift from entrepreneur Chris Larsen launches a broad effort led by our Center for Law, Energy & the Environment.

What could the oil & gas industry look like in a climate-safe world? That question fueled a recent $2 million gift from entrepreneur Chris Larsen for an ambitious project led by UC Berkeley Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment @cleeberkeley.bsky.social www.law.berkeley.edu/article/2-mi...

Zero-Emission Trucks: A Factsheet Series June 2024 – August 2025 This factsheet series is intended to help address some of the most common questions related to zero-emission trucks and the supply-side regulations that can accelerate […]

The world of #ZeroEmissionTrucks has reached a pivotal moment, as the emerging US industry faces federal rollbacks.

🚚 CLEE's 6-part factsheet series addresses the most common questions related to zero-emission trucks and supply-side regulations.

🔗 www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...

A Cost-Effective, Fast, and Sustainable Fire Recovery in Los Angeles The Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025 resulted in significant infrastructure losses, highlighting the need for an urgent, cost-effective, and sustainable recovery effort in the fire-impacted commu...

A recent report by CLEE found that the investment landscape favors #all-electric construction as LA residents build back.

📘 Learn more>> www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...

All-electric homes becoming popular with wildfire victims Some survivors are planning to rebuild

🏠 Following the LA wildfires, communities have the chance to rebuild more sustainably.

“All-electric homes aren’t just healthier and more comfortable, they’re also more resilient & cost-effective,” Altadena resident Jaime Rodriguez told #SpectrumNews buildingdecarb.org bit.ly/45o0loc

Research Opportunities The Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE), Berkeley Law environmental and energy law faculty, and other members of the Berkeley environmental community frequently recruit graduate students...

📣 Hiring Announcement: CLEE is hiring two legal researchers for Fall 2025. One position will support the EV Equity Initiative, while another will contribute to the development of offshore wind policy.

Apply by September 13th >> www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...

@ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social

Ethan Elkind, director of the Climate Program at the Center for Law, Energy, & The Environment (@cleeberkeley.bsky.social) joins @kqedforum.bsky.social to talk about what’s ahead for California’s environmental agenda: bit.ly/4mS8Xte

#UCBerkeleyLaw #EnvironmentalLaw #California

We are excited to be nearing the start of a new academic school year! 🎒 🍁 CLEE invites new and returning law students to the 2025 Environment and Energy Welcome Mixer.

Register here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Join us for our first Environment and Energy Lunch & Learn of the year with Berkeley Law alumni Alexis Pelosi, Andrea Ruiz-Esquide, and Tai Milder! They’ll share insights about working in government and how recent legal changes are shaping the field.

🔗 The link to register is in our bio.

California Democrats propose relaxed emissions rules amid gas price crisis California's affordability crisis could lead to more relaxed emissions standards, according to a plan introduced by state Democrats.

"I think it's such a reflection of how much legislators are feeling this pressure to go to their constituents and say, 'Look, we're trying to reduce prices,'" says Ethan Elkind, Director of the Climate Program at CLEE.

Watch the interview @cbsnews.com.web.brid.gy:
www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/n...

San Francisco Approves Plan to Add Hundreds of EV Chargers at City Facilities | KQED San Francisco is investing $8 million to install 400 EV chargers at city sites, accelerating its push toward a 100% zero-emission vehicle fleet by 2040.

Ted Lamm, Associate Director at CLEE, looks beyond the recent rollout of EV chargers in San Francisco, emphasizing that ongoing progress requires electrifying public transportation systems, like #BART.

Read the article @kqednews.kqed.org: www.kqed.org/news/1204920...

A decade of the Under2 Coalition YouTube video by The Climate Group

Check out this recent video celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Under2 Coalition.

Former California Governor Jerry Brown gives a shout-out to Ken Alex, Director of Project Climate at CLEE, for his leadership in subnational climate action.

⚡ www.youtube.com/watch?si=2XZ...

Transformative levels of investment are needed to support climate infrastructure projects.

CLEE’s recent report explores investment models with high levels of public engagement and evaluates their applicability to climate infrastructure projects.

📄 Read here: www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...

CLEE is excited to sponsor a CLE webcast on Sept 10th:

The Abundance Agenda and Moving California Forward

Join NYT bestseller Ezra Klein and a panel of experts for a discussion about California’s economy, policy reform, and dispute resolution.

Register ▶️ www.adrservices.com/cle/the-abun...

Climate Risk Initiative

The Climate Risk Initiative, housed at CLEE, researches and develops tools to assist the insurance and financial industries in recognizing and responding to climate change.

📄Learn more here: www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...

How the next financial crisis starts The climate shocks that could trigger wider market turmoil

Dave Jones, Director of CLEE’s Climate Risk Initiative and former California Insurance Commissioner, discussed the financial risks caused by climate change with @financialtimes.com

Read the story: www.ft.com/content/9e5d...

Image of an urban skyline

CLEE is conducting a review of the known cost impacts of climate change, including rising food prices, health cost, insurance prices, and disruptions to household income.

You can read our preliminary findings here: www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...

#StayTuned for the full report this summer.

Hunting Methane Using Satellites: A Guide for Policymakers Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. Reducing methane emissions is one of the fastest ways to slow global […]

CLEE's upcoming webinar is based on the recent report, Hunting Methane Using Satellites: A Guide for Policymakers, which examines how policymakers can harness satellite data to accelerate methane reduction efforts.

📘 Read the full report: www.law.berkeley.edu/research/cle...