Climate Solutions Content

Storing Carbon in Buildings Could Help Address Climate Change

Andy Fell — January 09, 2025 - 6:08pm

Construction materials such as concrete and plastic have the potential to lock away billions of tons of carbon dioxide, according to a new study by civil engineers and earth systems scientists at the University of California, Davis and Stanford University. The study, published Jan. 10 in Science, shows that combined with steps to decarbonize the economy, storing CO2 in buildings could help the world achieve goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

A Clean Energy Boost for Multitasking Lands

Katherine E Kerlin — December 02, 2024 - 9:00am

A �鶹��ý Wild Energy Center report defines multi-use solar energy projects and the challenges and opportunities they present for California landscapes.

A Winemaking Byproduct Can Reduce Dairy Cattle Emissions

Malia N Reiss — April 29, 2024 - 3:11pm

�鶹��ý researchers are feeding grape pomace, a byproduct of winemaking, to dairy cattle to reduce methane emissions.

7 Inspiring Climate Change Solutions

Katherine E Kerlin — April 22, 2024 - 9:06am

Plastic made from cheese whey? Growing food with pistachio shells? Wildfire-proof housing? Seven inspiring �鶹��ý research projects seek climate solutions for California and beyond.

Why Climate Doomsday-ism Doesn’t Work

Katherine E Kerlin — August 17, 2022 - 9:12am

Terms like “apocalyptic” are ineffective and potentially damaging when describing climate science. We need to tell stories about solutions—in the same story, if possible—and be careful about the language we use and its impact.

Women’s Leadership Can Help Drive Climate Solutions

Katherine E Kerlin — August 16, 2022 - 1:06pm

Women’s leadership and gender equity can help drive climate solutions and reduce carbon emissions, according to studies summarized by WECAN and the �鶹��ý ModLab.

Solar Development: Super Bloom or Super Bust for Desert Species?

Katherine E Kerlin — May 03, 2021 - 11:45am

Throughout the history of the West, human actions have often rushed the desert — and their actions backfired. In the 1920s, the Colorado River Compact notoriously overallocated water still used today by several Western states because water measurements were taken during a wet period.

Decarbonizing California Transportation by 2045

Katherine E Kerlin — April 21, 2021 - 2:40pm

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in California. In order to achieve the state’s goals of carbon neutrality by 2045 and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, decarbonizing this sector is essential. But such a transition is unlikely to occur rapidly without key policy intervention.

When ‘Eradicated’ Species Bounce Back With a Vengeance

Katherine E Kerlin — March 15, 2021 - 12:00pm

Some invasive species targeted for total eradication bounce back with a vengeance, especially in aquatic systems, finds a study led by the University of California, Davis.

Roadmap to Renewables Unites Climate and Sustainability Goals

Katherine E Kerlin — December 18, 2020 - 12:59pm

While the pressures of climate change bring a sense of urgency to renewable energy development, a new study serves as a roadmap toward uniting the goals of a low-carbon future with that of ecological sustainability and conservation.

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainability from the University of California, Davis, and John Hopkins University, aims to help decision-makers avoid the unintended environmental consequences of renewable energy development.