Each year, the American Energy Society (AES) highlights “the most extraordinary contributions to energy and sustainability” in a variety of categories: people, STEM, markets and innovations, media, the arts, and more. This year, they recognized Leah Stokes with an Energy Thought Leader: Higher Education award.

Dr. Eric Masanet and Dr. Leah Stokes will be joined by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and Senator Martin Heinrich (NM) for a deep dive into one of the most immediate, practical opportunities to cut industrial climate pollution in the U.S. — electrifying low- and medium-temperature process heat used in manufacturing.

In this webinar, Dr. Grace Wu, Sidney Gathrid, and Dr. Ranjit Deshmukh will present exciting new research on how we can use retirement frameworks to develop targeted strategies to accelerate coal plant retirements.

New UCSB study offers data-driven strategies for shuttering America’s remaining coal plants

In a new publication in The Conversation, Alex Phillips explains what is at stake with climate tipping points and why there is still an opportunity for preventive actions.

A new, first-of-its-kind survey sheds light on public opinion about climate change in the world’s small island states

Paasha Mahdavi joins Daniel Raimi on the Resources Radio podcast to discuss the importance of reforming fossil fuel subsidies to promote the clean energy transition.

Jim Salzman was recently elected to the American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL) for his experience and substantial contributions to the field of environmental law.

Industrial facilities account for 23% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, most of which come from burning fossil fuels to generate heat. Yet, there is an abundant, zero-emissions source of heat right beneath our feet: geothermal energy. Our new report is a primer on how next-generation geothermal technologies can provide clean, reliable heat for the industrial sector.

On May 8, 2025, we hosted the Santa Barbara Energy & Resilience Summit at UCSB. In partnership with Brightfield Infrastructure and Constructive, we brought together investors, policymakers, advocates, academics, utilities, and developers to advance local clean energy projects. During the event, Jigar Shah, former head of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, joined Leah Stokes for a conversation on energy resiliency.

2035 Faculty Sarah Anderson and Mark Buntaine and colleagues conducted a field experiment with cities in China to demonstrate that an increase in transparency causes decreases in pollution, with meaningful effects on health.

Dr. Leah Stokes is the recipient of the 2024 Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication

Join us for a discussion with Adrian Deveny and Dr. Leah Stokes

Join us for a discussion with Climate Expert and National Security Advisor Sherri Goodman, moderated by UCSB's Dr. Leah Stokes.

Forbes recognized 50 honorees as part of its inaugural Sustainability Leaders list, which highlights 50 entrepreneurs, scientists, funders, policymakers and activists who are leading the charge to combat the climate crisis.

With funding from Climate Imperative, the U.S. Energy Foundation, and Project Innerspace, we are creating a near-term roadmap for decarbonizing low temperature processes through electrification and geothermal.

Social competitions between neighbourhoods galvanise leadership and inspire collective action to reduce informal waste burning in urban Uganda.

Despite public support for climate action, we still do not have climate policy to match the urgency and scale of the crisis. Why haven’t public views on climate change translated into bold enough action? Social psychology can help bridge this gap.

As part of a SEEDS 4 award, The 2035 Initiative joins a team of researchers, led by the Solar and Storage Industries Institute, to test and evaluate innovative community engagement practices used in large-scale solar project siting and permitting.

Dr. David Sherman is one of two UCSB professors who will be heading to New York for the 2024-25 academic year to pursue research projects as visiting scholars of the Russell Sage Foundation.

A multi-institution team of researchers, including Dr. Ranjit Deshmukh, created an analytical framework that can be used to evaluate equity in energy transitions.

In his new role, Dr. Eric Masanet will advise the U.S. Secretary of Energy on developing a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the development of clean technologies.

The 2035 Initiative joins a collaborative research effort to identify barriers to electrification and support an equitable energy transition across California.

Transition plans for national oil companies are a critical component of decarbonizing the oil and gas sector.

In a new study with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and Rewiring America, we find that 60% of prefer a home in which all or most major appliances are electric.

A new study examined wind energy projects throughout the US and Canada to determine how common opposition is and what factors predict it.

Gov. Jay Inslee hosted a meeting with scientists, including Leah Stokes, to discuss climate change ahead of his trip to meet with the UN.

A study by Sarah Anderson, Andrew Plantinga, and Matthew Wibbenmeyer looks at unequal government spending on local projects that reduce risk from wildfire.

Dr. Ranjit Deshmukh and a team of researchers at emLab studies how to equitably phase out oil extraction in California.

Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit in conversation with Dr. Leah Stokes and Nikayla Jefferson

Before We Invest Billions in This Clean Fuel, Let’s Make Sure It’s Actually Clean

In this workshop, experts debate barriers, and discuss the policy and technological roadmaps necessary to meet CA’s climate goals in the building sector.

Historical Perspectives on Efficiency, Electrification, and Climate Change: What the Past Tells Us About the Future

Policy report published in partnership with IISD

With funding from Climate Imperative, the U.S. Energy Foundation, and Project Innerspace, we are creating a near-term roadmap for decarbonizing low temperature processes through electrification and geothermal.