July 2020
Building a Clean and Resilient Electrical Grid 

California's electrical grid is at a pivotal moment. Between now and 2030, the state is required to reach 60 percent renewable power, while residents can also expect regular public safety power shutoffs due to severe wildfire risk. Achieving climate targets while protecting vulnerable communities from climate impacts will require a coordinated policy effort to accelerate deployment of distributed renewable energy, battery storage, microgrids, and other resilience investments.

CLEE and UCLA Law's new report, Clean and Resilient, offers a suite of recommendations to support this effort, based on a convening of energy regulators, local leaders, and grid experts. Top solutions include:
  • Updating electric utility regulation to increase incentives for investment in low-carbon, distributed technologies;
  • Reforming grid interconnection rules to streamline microgrid and energy storage installations; and
  • Convening an expert panel to develop standards for grid data security and consumer privacy.
You can access the full report here

For more information, contact Ethan Elkind or Ted Lamm

We're hiring! 


CLEE is hiring  a Climate & Ocean Research Fellow to  work on domestic and international law and policy issues, roughly splitting their time between projects within the Climate Program and projects within the Ocean Program.

Apply by Monday, July 20 to ensure full consideration by the committee.  For the full description of the position and to apply, please   click here .

Upcoming Virtual Events

Ride-Hailing & the Future of Sustainable Transportation
Thursday, July 16, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm PT
Please register here

Since ride-hailing platforms burst onto the scene a decade ago, they have revolutionized the way people move around the urban environment. Their sudden rise in ridership has meant existing transportation systems and local governments have had to work rapidly to try and keep pace with and adapt to the burgeoning industry and changes in rider behavior. Panelists will look at the current and potential sustainability of ride-hailing, including questions surrounding sector emissions and the utilization of electric vehicles, systemic fit with public transportation, and labor and economic equity.

Building a Sustainable Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chain 
Thursday, July 23, 9:00 - 10:00 am PT
Please register here

Building a low-carbon economy will rely on a transition from gasoline-powered automobiles to electric vehicles, which will require a significant increase in production of component minerals. Extracting and refining these minerals, like cobalt and lithium, can often entail challenges related to governance, human rights, and environmental quality in host countries. To help launch a forthcoming CLEE and Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) report on this topic, panelists will discuss mechanisms to address these concerns and build a more sustainable supply chain for this key emission reduction technology.

Ted Lamm and UCLA's Sean Hecht File Brief to Defend California Auto Emission Standards


CLEE's Ted Lamm and Sean Hecht of UCLA's Emmett Institute filed an amicus brief in the DC Circuit arguing that EPA acted improperly when it withdrew California's waiver to implement separate automobile emission standards under the Clean Air Act. The brief demonstrates how climate change and air pollution are causing severe impacts on National Parks in California, and how California's vehicle program is needed to address those impacts.