IoES in the News
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Daniel Swain on Weather Geeks Podcast: California Weather Phenomena
If you’re not from California, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of its weather? 72 and sunny? Listen to UCLA climate scientist, Daniel Swain on Weather Geeks‘…
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World World Zero features COVID-19 and climate change op-ed by Tom Smith
World War Zero, a coalition addressing climate change, has featured an op-ed by UCLA Professor Tom Smith, co-director of the Congo Basin Institute. “COVID-19 has shown the world the horrors…
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Ann Carlson in Bloomberg Law: Environmentalists Relieved as Critics Slam ‘Muddled’ SCOTUS Term
The court’s decision protecting LGBTQ worker rights in Bostock v. Clayton County could also feature in environmental litigation, legal scholars say. The majority’s interpretation, authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, that the…
Awards
Three awarded by academic senate for diversity, equity and inclusion
Three individuals from the Center for Diverse Leadership in Science at UCLA have been honored with UCLA Academic Senate awards for diversity, equity and inclusion. One undergraduate, one graduate student…
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Yifang Zhu in Helling Shipping News: As oil prices crashed, tankers idled off California—spewing pollution for weeks
Giant ships lurked off the California coast for weeks in April and May, their bellies full of up to 20 million barrels of oil. This floating cache, enough to support…
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Daniel Swain in The Los Angeles Times: Unusually warm May contributes to expanding drought in the West
One factor in the expanding drought is the fact that May 2020 was the fifth-warmest May on record. This probably exacerbated the dryness and contributed to a number of wildfires,…
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Daniel Swain in UCLA Newsroom: Risk of massive wildfires continues to grow in California
Doubling of extreme fire weather days highlights the need to reduce emissions and take other preventive measures, researchers say. A study by UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain and colleagues projects…
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Kristen Ruegg featured in National Geographic video
UCLA Assistant Adjunct Professor and co-director of the Bird Genoscape Project, Kristen Ruegg has been featured in a National Geographic “Explorer in the Field” video highlighting her work in harnessing…
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Yifang Zhu in SicenceBlog.com: With older, gas-fired appliance use unhealthy air in homes is oftentimes found
The gas-fired appliances found in 90 percent of Californian’s homes cause unhealthy air and drive annual healthcare costs into the billions, according to new research from UCLA Fielding School of…
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Daniel Swain in SF Gate: Quail Fire near Winters 40% contained, evacuations lifted
The Quail Fire has destroyed three buildings and about 1,400 acres of vegetation in rural Solano County between Vacaville and Winters as of 8:30 a.m. Sunday, June 7 Cal Fire…
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Paul Barber inThe Keene Sentinel: Scientists tackle starfish plagues on Great Barrier Reef
Upon first glance, the crown-of-thorns starfish looks a lot like an enemy creature you’d find in a nature-based video game. But its exterior isn’t nearly as intimidating as its appetite.…
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Daniel Swain in Mendocino Voices: In February, record drought. In May, record heat. What’s next?
Climate Scientist Daniel Swain believes that as the world continues to heat up due to global warming, people are getting used to new, warmer weather and unusual climatic patterns. But,…
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Deepak Rajagopal in Economic Times: OpEd Missing elements in the electric vehicle policy ecosystem
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Thomas Smith in The Daily Bruin — Campus Queries: What environmental factors are linked to the coronavirus pandemic?
Wildlife markets are also a hotbed for transmission since wild animals from all around the world are put in small cages in close proximity to each other, ecology and evolutionary…
Awards
Noah Garrison Honored with the UCLA Sustainability Achievement Award
Congratulations to professor Noah Garrison who received the UCLA Sustainability Achievement Award for the 2020 UCLA Sustainability Green Gala. As the IoES Environmental Science Practicum Director, Professor Garrison oversees the…
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Daniel Blumstein quoted in The New York Times: Mass Extinctions Are Accelerating, Scientists Report
We are in the midst of a mass extinction, many scientists have warned — this one driven not by a catastrophic natural event, but by humans. The unnatural loss of biodiversity is…
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Yifang Zhu in Scientific American: Coronavirus Lockdowns May Raise Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution
This spring, as the COVID-19 pandemic led people to hunker down at home, outdoor air quality improved dramatically in many cities and countries. In the northeastern U.S., for instance, air…
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Daniel Swain in NBC News: California readies for ‘realistic’ nightmare — raging wildfires during a pandemic
California is bracing for the possibility of a devastating wildfire season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Northern CA, which just recorded one of its driest winters on record, could be especially…
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Travis Longcore quoted in Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus ravages poorer L.A. communities while slowing in wealthier ones, data show
An associate adjunct professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Travis Longcore said the pandemic has exposed the country’s deep-seated economic and racial disparities. “It’s just laid…
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Ann Carlson Weighs in for KPBS: Big Oil Will Answer Some Uncomfortable Questions In California Court
Imperial Beach’s attempt to hold the oil industry accountable for climate change will move forward in state court. AnnCarlson of UCLA Law and Institute of Environment and Sustainability says “I…
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Deepak Rajagopal in International Business Times — Climate Change News: University Of California Divests Entirely From Fossil Fuel Assets
The University of California, or UC, has divested the last of its $1 billion of fossil fuel assets, thereby becoming the largest U.S. educational institution to do so. Deepak Rajagopal, an…
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Ann Carlson in Common Dreams — ‘Accountability Is Coming’: Federal Judges Rule California Climate Suits Against Big Oil Must Go Forward in State Court
A panel of federal judges on Tuesday ruled that California climate lawsuits aiming to force major fossil fuel companies to pay for their role in causing the environmental crisis must…
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Tracy Johnson named dean of the UCLA Division of Life Sciences
Congratulations to Tracy Johnson, professor of molecular, cell, and developmental biology and holder of the Keith and Cecilia Terasaki Presidential Endowed Chair, has been named dean of the division of…
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Deepak Rajagopal in The Daily Bruin: UC Regents Investments Committee announces full divestment from fossil fuels
The University of California Board of Regents Investments Committee announced Tuesday it has completely divested from fossil fuels. The massive decline in the cost of renewable energy from solar, wind,…
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Yifang Zhu Study Featured in NBC 4 Los Angeles: Traffic Reduction Impacts Southern California’s Air Quality
Experts say transitioning to cleaner technology for all things mobile including the larger contributors of emissions like ships and trucks will lead to more sustainable long-term changes. Dr. Yifang Zhu…