Our Deputy Director Julia Stein to @npr.org about the recovery from the LA fires: "When you've got a recovery that's each property owner going it alone and trying to figure out their own rebuild, you lose an opportunity to make the whole neighborhood safe." www.npr.org/2026/01/07/n...

In LA? Join us tomorrow at UCLA for this event and live taping with @sammyroth.bsky.social about the importance of narrative storytelling in climate work.

Altadena and the Palisades are moving forward but outcomes depend on survivors’ access to resources. It didn’t—and doesn’t—have to be this way. legal-planet.org/2025/12/23/o...

In the aftermath of the LA fires, misinformation spread almost as fast as the flames, including about legislation that could have helped the recovery. "Folks were reacting to information that was factually incorrect," our Julia Stein tells NPR's @juliaradio.bsky.social. www.npr.org/2026/01/07/n...

Our Prof. Jim Salzman has a new essay at The Conversation about the environmental laws that have made America cleaner, and the current case of environmental amnesia that allows critics to focus entirely on costs while ignoring the laws’ very real achievements. theconversation.com/the-us-used-...

Job alert: Come work with us! The UCLA Emmett/Frankel Fellowship in Environmental Law and Policy is a full-time 2-year fellowship for the academic years 2026-2028. Candidates should have 2-5 years of post-JD experience. recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10733

One year after the LA fires, who is accountable for a resilient and equitable recovery? No one, really. But it doesn’t have to be that way, writes our Julia Stein. legal-planet.org/2025/12/23/o...

If the candidates running to be California’s next governor want a prepackaged idea for how to reduce pollution while making energy more affordable in 2026, here’s one: legal-planet.org/2025/12/22/c...

A new UCLA report shows how Big Ag water agencies are robbing the rest of the state blind. "You can’t solve California’s and the West’s water problems unless you crack down on Big Ag agencies." @uclalawemmett.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/19/e...

The wildfires revealed the limitations of California’s water systems. When L.A.’s overtaxed systems lost pressure, fire hydrants ran dry. A year later, residents and experts are weighing solutions that would make more water available for firefighting. www.latimes.com/environment/...

Abundance? California HAS abundant energy for everyone – if it better distributes its energy infrastructure spending for maximum public benefit. But policymakers must align gas system spending with the long-term need for an expanded electrical grid. 🧵

California HAS abundant energy for everyone – if it better distributes its energy infrastructure spending for maximum public benefit. This report by Craig Segall and @denisegrab.bsky.social shows how policymakers can align gas system spending w/ long-term need for an expanded grid. ucla.in/4iWJ7mO

Students in our legislation clinic looked into how bioplastics interact with California's composting system and what changes may be needed to incorporate bioplastics into the system, or if there are insurmountable challenges. Good insights here. legal-planet.org/2025/12/15/c...

Our California Environmental Legislation and Policy Clinic is examining how bioplastic packaging interacts with California’s waste system. Travel along with our @law.ucla.edu students as they tour facilities across the state. legal-planet.org/2025/12/15/c...

Excited to record a live episode of the LENS podcast at UCLA on Friday 1/9! "Why Narrative Matters in the Fight Against Climate Change" Thanks @uclaioes.bsky.social @uclalawemmett.bsky.social @jonchristensen.bsky.social for hosting me. RSVP here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Data centers are driving energy demand at unbelievable scale. Regulators can, and should, use that to build infrastructure we desperately need. @uclalawemmett.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/11/m...

There couldn’t be a more important time for the work we do, writes @dfarber1950.bsky.social. Twice a year we let you know how to support Legal Planet and the two law centers that publish it: @cleeberkeley.bsky.social and @uclalawemmett.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/11/y...

Join UCLA's LENS and the @uclalawemmett.bsky.social for a conversation with climate journalist @sammyroth.bsky.social about why narrative matters in the fight against climate change. The Jan 9 event is a live taping of the LENS podcast. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Air pollution in New York City down 22% after six months of congestion pricing #airpollution www.nature.com/articles/s44...

With federal rollbacks of clean truck policy, how can states like California ensure enough demand? Our new @cleeberkeley.bsky.social @uclalawemmett.bsky.social report "Driving Demand" contains multiple recommendations for state policy. 🧵

The need to address truck pollution remains urgent. This new "Driving Demand" report from CLEE and the Emmett Institute outlines 4 recommendations for the California Legislature and 4 recommendations for state agencies. law.ucla.edu/news/driving...

CLEE and the UCLA Emmett Institute released new report today on how California (and other states) can "Drive Demand" for clean trucks. There's also a Jan. 13 webinar with Energy Commissioner Nancy Skinner keynote. @ethanelkind.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/12/09/h...

Rolling into the weekend with some more wonky reactions to the Trump/NHTSA rollback of the CAFE standards. Let's step back and highlight just how truly bad the new set of standards is, based on incredibly aggressive legal interpretations. 🧵

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: 2025 has been a tough year for environmental law, but the UCLA Emmett Institute scored some big wins. Here’s a roundup. law.ucla.edu/academics/ce...

Ann Carlson on the dismantling of CAFE Standards: In a quick perusal of the proposed rule, it’s clear that the so-called “SAFE 3” standards are on very shaky legal ground and a complete assault on electric vehicles in general and EV companies in particular. legal-planet.org/2025/12/05/s...

We're proud to share a snapshot of our 2025 Annual Report. We were on the ground in key places around the globe where environmental law & policy were made this year, from Brazil to South Africa, New York to Altadena. Our students made big waves in our 2 law clinics. law.ucla.edu/academics/ce...

Important new work that will help shape LA's approach to bringing more shade to neighborhoods as a legacy of the mega-event era.

Read our suggestions for how to kickstart the important transformation of our urban environment to help shield residents from the worst effects of rising temperatures @uclaioes.bsky.social @law.ucla.edu @uclasustainablela.bsky.social @luskininnovation.bsky.social law.ucla.edu/news/reducin...

Hot off the presses 🔥 We have a new report on how the City and County of L.A. can strengthen their responses to extreme heat. We look at ways to reimagine and remake the outdoor urban environment to reduce risks to vulnerable communities. law.ucla.edu/news/reducin...

Important work and helpful data from @law.ucla.edu's @kclausing.bsky.social on understanding who bears the burden of climate inaction? Not in the future but right now. legal-planet.org/2025/11/20/c...

Climate inaction is ALREADY a big expense affecting US households' costs. One of the biggest? The impact of climate-related natural disasters on housing costs. New post and research by @kclausing.bsky.social @knittelmit.bsky.social @cwolfram.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2025/11/20/c...

New blog post today on work with @knittelmit.bsky.social and @cwolfram.bsky.social. Climate inaction is *already* a big expense affecting US households costs; the most important mechanism is the impact of climate-related natural disasters on housing costs. legal-planet.org/2025/11/20/c...

It's extremely inspiring to see Ayisha Siddiqa, founder of the Future Generations Tribunal and a @law.ucla.edu J.D. student featured here as "one of the brightest young climate activists I have ever met," with a "project that may just change the world."

UCLA’s STOP Methane Project just released our Spotlight on the Top 25 in ’25: Oil and Gas Sector. Top 25 sites are mostly in Turkmenistan — but also Venezuela, Iran, Pakistan, and the U.S. Why is a Texas gas well on this list of extreme methane emissions? stopmethane.substack.com/p/spotlight-...

UCLA’s STOP Methane is a new, user-friendly ranking of super-polluting methane emissions. We just released our Spotlight on the Top 25 in ’25: Oil and Gas Sector. The Top 25 sites are mostly in Turkmenistan — but also Venezuela, Iran, Pakistan, and the U.S. stopmethane.substack.com/p/spotlight-...

Keeping promises on renewables, energy efficiency and methane ‘would avoid nearly 1C of global heating’ - Analysis @climateactiontracker.org shows adhering to pledges offers world hope of avoiding climate breakdown #cop30 #climatecrisis www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Here’s something to celebrate in California decarbonization.

We just released our Spotlight on the Top 25 Plumes in ’25: Oil and Gas Sector. Oil & gas sites with the largest detected and quantified methane emissions rates worldwide. The Top 25 are mostly in Turkmenistan — but also Venezuela, Iran, Pakistan, and the US. stopmethane.substack.com/p/spotlight-...

NEWS: UCLA’s STOP Methane Project is live, and we have a Top 25 list of extreme methane emissions from oil and gas. Huge thanks to @whitehouse.senate.gov for sharing. Sign up for updates and see all the rankings: stopmethane.substack.com

One thing is clear at COP30: Cutting methane is a way to pull the emergency brake on climate change. Important story from @fionaharvey.bsky.social.

Thinking about the 45 native shrubs our @law.UCLA.edu students and faculty planted as a Public Service Challenge last week. They’re getting a good long shower.

Our Prof. Ann Carlson talks with Sammy Roth about a possible silver-lining if Trump succeeds in revoking the endangerment finding: California could gain the power to regulate greenhouse gases.

A nice profile of my work in UCLA's Blueprint Magazine this month!

Many Americans today have no memory of the world that spurred modern environmental law. The Documerica project, housed at the National Archives, provides a vivid window into environmental destruction circa the 1970s and reminds us how far we’ve come," writes our Prof. Jim Salzman.

👋We're on the ground at #COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Please say hi. Our Cara Horowitz joins our methane project lead Juan Pablo Escudero, a Professor at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. Our Governors'​ Climate & Forests Task Force led by Jason Gray is holding a governors roundtable and several side events.

If Trump’s EPA abandons climate policy, could California take over on greenhouse gases? Our Ann Carlson first floated the idea, which appears to have legs. Good story by @gauchoesque.bsky.social calmatters.org/environment/...

What ethical, moral, and biophysical concerns should we consider as we weigh the costs and benefits of further altering Earth’s planetary balance?

Our Faculty Director Ted Parson is on the latest episode of The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens to talk about climate interventions, risks, and thorny governance issues. @law.ucla.edu

UCLA's Blueprint Magazine explores China's lead in the race to renewables and features a lengthy interview and profile of our Prof. Alex Wang @greenlawchina.bsky.social. blueprint.ucla.edu/feature/the-...

Newsom grabs the spotlight. Big money for methane reductions. China and Brazil fill the power vacuum. Here's the good and bad of COP30. legal-planet.org/2025/11/12/g...