BCCN Campus Climate News

1. Why We Do This Work: Record U.S Drought - Record Rain in Spain

NOAA: Rapid/record drought expansion across the U.S. during October; Near-record warm and dry conditions dominate large portions of the Lower 48. WMO: Meanwhile, record rains bring deadly floods to Spain.

2. Climate and U.S. Electoral Politics: TODAY AT 9 AM

UCLA Luskin Center 75-minute webinar to learn more about what the 2024 election may mean for climate action and the environment. Register for link here. Closer to home, check out Dan Farber (Berkeley Law) “The Morning After - What Can Be Done to Save the Planet.”

3. How Did Oil and Gas Futures React to Trump Victory?

In this Energy Institute @Haas blog post, Lucas Davis looks at how oil and gas futures reacted in the days following the election. Trump repeatedly claimed he would cut prices drastically and increase oil and gas drilling dramatically. Davis looks at the early market signals.

4. ICN: New Climate Champions Set to Enter Congress

Inside Climate News: "Across the country, voters elected new members to Congress who have promoted climate action at the state level and could prevent environmental laws from being weakened under Republican leadership.” (It won’t be easy.) The IRA’s thousands of jobs and billions in investments will be critical. Read the story here.

5. California Passes $10B Climate Resilience Bond

The CSG blog outlines this first-in-California large-scale funding to build a more resilient state. 

6. Weather Extremes Influencing Mexico - U.S. Migration/Return 

AP reports on a new study from Julia Li Zhu (San Diego State) using data from 1992-2018 that shows people from agricultural areas in Mexico were more likely to cross the border after droughts and were less likely to return to their original communities when extreme weather continued. See the study here.

7. Collective Comfort: Climate Resilience in Desert Cities

Berkeley's (Im)material Matters Lab, led by CED’s prize-winning Liz Gálvez, presents Collective Comfort: Airing on Possibilities, an innovative exhibition of climate resilience in desert cities. Opening NOV 21 at the Center for Architecture + Design in San Francisco. Design-research, full-scale prototypes, and student work that address the urgent need for alternative cooling solutions in regions facing extreme heat.

8. New from CLEE: Improving Transmission Financing in CA

CA will require many high-voltage lines to bring offshore wind power from the North Coast, big solar from the Central Valley, geothermal from Salton Sea and more. If this is funded through electricity ratepayers we will be in big trouble. CLEE’s new report shows policymakers there are other ways. 

9. NEW Berkeley Climate Action Proof-of-Concept Program (BCAPP)

Berkeley's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Office and Bakar Climate Labs have announced a new program that will support faculty in translating their research into climate-focused solutions. Four to six $100K awards each year. Get all the info here.

10. Time is Running Out: Believe in Your BIG IDEA

The Big Ideas Contest is an early-stage innovation ecosystem that connects Berkeley students with the mentorship, training, and resources needed to successfully conceptualize, launch, and scale their social ventures. Open to all Berkeley students, Big Ideas awards up to $20K for creative solutions to pressing social challenges. 3-page application deadline: NOV 20th, 1:00 pm All info here.

11. Ready, Set, Ideate! at the eHub TONIGHT NOV 14

Thursday Nights @ eHub are about building community with people interested in practicing entrepreneurship. Meet future collaborators and teammates. Explore how you and your team work together and with others. Practice entrepreneurship skills like brainstorming, creativity, sharing your ideas, and MANY more. 6-8 PM N440+N444, Chou Hall (Haas). RSVP HERE.

12. Science at Cal EN ESPANOL @Oakland Public Library NOV 19

Friends, Students, All Ages: Congelando el calor: cómo las nuevas tecnologías están derrotando el calor" (Chilling the Heat: Using new technologies to combat climate change), featuring Berkeley Lab’s Hector Garcia Martin Tuesday, NOV 19th, 5:30 PM at the Oakland Public Library: César E. Chavez Branch! 

13. Berkeley’s Sim Van Der Ryn Dies at 89

Fabulously innovative “Father of Green Architecture” — Appointed State of California Architect by Governor Brown in 1975. See the Chronicle’s excellent obit here.

BERKELEY CLIMATE CALENDAR:

— Climate and U.S. Electoral Politics: TODAY AT 9 AM

— Ready, Set, Ideate! at the eHub TONIGHT NOV 14

— Carbon Dioxide Removal and Communities (with LBL’s Jen Birkholzer) NOV 15 10 am ZOOM

— The Cinema of Negative Ecology - NOV 15 3-5 pm 370 Dwinelle

— Science at Cal @Oakland Public Library NOV 19