Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Governor Jerry Brown signed State Senator and US Senate candidate Kevin de León's SB 100, which mandates that the state obtain all of its electricity from zero-carbon sources by 2045. That in itself was a big deal, but Brown didn't stop there; he also issued an executive order calling for the entire California economy to become carbon-neutral by 2045. Brown has been pushing for a transition to electric cars. Finally, Brown also signed  several bills to support electric vehicle deployment and the target of 5 million EVs on the road by 2030 . As the world's fifth-largest economy, California can provide a powerful roadmap for others to follow. ( Guardian)

	Photo: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

The Guardian has launched an in-depth series on how extreme heat is impacting the way we live,from Paris to Phoenix to Delhi. The series began with an apocalyptic opening piece, taking the reader through what   122 F heat, once an anomaly, will feel like when it's an alarming regularity. The series also examines why heat is the next big inequality issue,   how heat became a national US problem and kills more Americans than any other natural disaster , and   how air-conditioning created the modern city. There are also articles examining solutions and stories of how people are addressing heat around the world. ( Guardian)

Insects will be at the heart of worldwide crop losses as the climate warms up, predicts a new study. Scientists estimate the pests will be eating 10-25% more wheat, rice and maize across the globe for each degree Celsius rise in average temperatures. The hotter temperature will increase insect metabolism, so they'll eat more, and will also increase their populations. The researchers calculate additional losses of 53 million tons (48 million metric tons) in wheat, rice and corn from hungry bugs if the temperature rises another 2.7 degrees (1.5 degrees Celsius) from now. ( Link)

Photo: Mark McKenna/Zuma Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

Unlike their public counterparts, private firefighter crews protect only select addresses, hired by the rich or insurance companies to minimize damages and keep policyholders' homes from going up in smoke. Climate change capitalism is finding an increasing number of customers, as cottage industries have sprung up to serve those who can afford to be a bit more protected and comfortable while the weather grows more cataclysmic. The wealthy and well-insured weather wildfires in five-star hotels paid for by high-end insurance policies. ( Guardian)

	Photo: Alex Edelman/AFP/Getty Images

"Where the hurricanes hit the hardest are the counties that have the highest number of black populations and poor populations. And yet in those areas the resources and the infrastructure that could be put in before we have storms is never quite dealt with," says national civil rights leader William Barber. ( Guardian)

Photo: Jonathan Drake/Reuters

Almost 75 percent of declared disasters in the United States are flood-related, and flood risk continues to rise due to development in floodplains and a changing climate. The beleaguered National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which was due to expire on July 31 but just got a four-month extension from Congress, can help lessen some of that risk and serve as a lifeline for survivors. However, in reauthorizing the program, Congress did not fix its many problems. The need to make the NFIP more effective is urgent. And as America's flood risk grows, we will be even more reliant on it. ( City Lab)

	Photo: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty

In California, fires are getting bigger and less predictable - so much so that scientists are struggling to model them. Most fire models in use today are based on past data. But fire behaviour might be shifting in response to climate faster than anybody expected, and that makes it increasingly problematic to extrapolate from past trends. Now, two research projects are aiming to revamp the models that scientists, first responders and policymakers use to understand these costly and dangerous disasters. ( Nature)

The Sierra Nevada provides Californians across the state with a multitude of benefits including clean air and water, flood protection, recreational opportunities, jobs, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. However, climate change threatens to disrupt these services with detrimental consequences for both urban and rural communities. To address the accelerating and compounding impacts of climate change and ensure the health and resilience of Sierra Nevada ecosystems through equitable and holistic solutions, urban and rural decision-makers must collaborate. This introductory paper is the first of a larger series and will be followed by additional reports that identify policy opportunities, strategies to develop and deepen collaborative efforts, and on-the-ground solutions to enhance ecosystem resilience. ( Link)

Created by AB 2800, the Climate-Safe Infrastructure Working Group, comprised of scientific and engineering experts, has published a report outlining a step- wise approach to help California's infrastructure become more resilient to the growing threats of climate change. The report offers a compelling vision of climate-safe infrastructure and a comprehensive framework to achieve it. The framework involves providing needed scientific data and analytics, improving the project pre-development process, establishing appropriate governance mechanisms, including updated standards and codes used by engineers and architects, securing adequate funding mechanisms and providing support during project implementation. ( Report)

There is a severe human and fiscal cost of homelessness. In response, there's a new infusion of funding in California - approximately $750 million in three new programs - to help cities and counties address the needs of more than 130,000 men, women, and children who do not have a permanent and safe place to call home. These new programs include Homeless Emergency Aid Program ($500 million), No Place Like Home Program ($190 million), and the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program ($53 million). The California Department of Housing and Community Development will be holding workshops and a webinar related to the NPLH Program in late August and Early September.

Join Antioch University New England's Center for Climate Preparedness and Community Resilience in an exciting series of online courses focused on the fundamentals of climate change resilience. The six courses include Climate Impacts: Communication, Facilitation and Stakeholder Capacity Building; Climate Impacts: Vulnerability & Adaptation Planning; Business Resilience & Continuity; and Climate Justice & Equitable Adaptation. Each course runs four weeks and may be completed online in approximately 8 hours per week. ( Register)

The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) is working with a team of evaluators at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Berkeley, to develop an evaluation plan for the Transformative Climate Communities Program. The evaluation team submitted a draft plan for review and feedback from the SGC, as well as community members and non-profit organizations. Please email tccpubliccomments@SGC.CA.GOV with your feedback. ( SGC)

Caltrans is seeking public and stakeholder input on the Final Draft Grand Application Guides for the SB1 Sustainable Communities and Adaptation Planning Grants. There will be a final opportunity to provide feedback during a Sept. 25 public workshop in Sacramento. ( Link)

The California Energy Commission's School Bus Replacement Program offers public school districts, county offices of education, and joint power authorities grant funding to replace diesel powered school buses with new electric-powered school buses. Deadline: Sept. 20. ( Link)

Communities can apply for up to $10 million in grants from the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program and the Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program. These programs provide funding for the development of local hazard mitigation plans and implementation of hazard mitigation projects, including flood mitigation specifically. To apply, communities must submit Notices of Interest to Cal OES by September 24, 2018. ( Link)

The California Natural Resources Agency will be accepting concept proposals for the California River Parkways grant program. Awards in the approximate amount of $7 million will be funded by Proposition 68 for purposes of the California River Parkways Act of 2004. Technical Assistance Workshops will be held in Sacramento on August 14. Deadline: September 27. ( Link)

The Campus RainWorks Challenge is a green infrastructure design competition open to colleges and universities across the country. The challenge seeks to engage with students to foster a dialogue about stormwater management and showcase the environmental, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure practices. Registration is from September 1-30. ( Link)

The Transformative Climate Communities program empowers the communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects to enact transformational change - all with data-driven milestones and measurable outcomes. The $46 million implementation grants category is only open to eligible cities, including Sacramento. The planning grant category will award $800,000 to 4 cities. The   Final Round II Guidelines and the Notice of Funding Availability can be found on SGC's website. There will be webinars on the implementation (  August 28) and planning (  August 29) grants. Deadline: 5pm, October 30, 2018. ( SGC)

SACOG will award mini-grants of up to $3,000 per project in support of small events and non-infrastructure programs or projects that encourage biking, walking, riding transit, carpooling, vanpooling and teleworking, as options for reducing car trips and vehicles miles traveled. Projects that focus on testing a new strategy or tactic for changing travel behavior will be prioritized. Applications considered on a rolling basis until $30,000 has been awarded for each of two application phases. The second phase is open July 15 through December 31, 2018. ( Link)

This program helps eligible rural and tribal communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Applications accepted continuously. ( Link)

With carbon dioxide emissions hitting a record high and the impacts of climate change making headlines regularly, it's time to double down on high-impact policies that will reduce emissions. The need is particularly acute in cities, where an increasing percentage of the world's population lives. Join this webinar to explore these high-priority, high-impact emissions reduction policies, and how cities can implement and influence these policies. ( Register)

The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) is holding a webinar on the draft evaluation plan for the Transformative Climate Communities Program, developed by the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Berkeley. The SGC is seeking review and feedback from community members and non-profit organizations. ( Register)

Companies and organizations are beginning to explore transitioning their medium and heavy-duty vehicle fleets to electric. While it's still early days, companies are being pushed by mandates, incentivized by subsidies, and - in certain specific use cases - able to save money on operating costs. In this webcast, you'll learn about which applications and sectors that are suitable for EVs, and which are not, as well as the economics, the technology, the relevant policies, and the challenges facing this transition. ( Register)

Our built environment faces many challenges when it comes to the frequent innovation of the digital age, as online marketplace convenience replaces local services, and leave in their wake ghost shopping centers and empty retail big boxes. How do we reimagine our building infrastructure into new uses in order to reinvigorate our communities? Come hear about two projects that combine innovative uses for existing structures in areas of Sacramento that are presently under-served, while providing innovative services to the community that are designed to transcend the traditional and withstand the test of an ever-changing economy. ( Link)

As extreme weather events increase, existing buildings are vulnerable to power disruption, equipment failures, displacement of residents, and other costly damages. This webinar will feature tools and strategies to improve the resilience of existing buildings and community assets through building upgrades and microgrids. The webinar will include an overview of DNV GL's B-READY building resilience tool, which helps building owners and managers translate climate-related, site-specific risks into actionable resilience strategies. ( Register)

The International Transformational Resilience Coalition is offering an intensive Train-the-Trainer Workshop on Transformational Resilience for climate change-aggravated traumas and toxic stresses workshop. Attendance is by application only for a maximum of 20 people who want to learn how to apply knowledge, skills, and tools at the individual, organizational, and community levels to prevent and heal psychological and psycho-social-spiritual impacts resulting from the disasters and extreme stresses generated by rising global temperatures. ( Apply Now)

The 12th Meeting of the Minds Annual Summit convenes 400+ smart city leaders across the globe with the purpose of spotlighting emerging and tested urban sustainability solutions which are scalable, replicable, and transferable for cities and regions. Discussions are rooted in a deep understanding of technology and equity as key drivers for smart cities. Key urban issue areas will include water policy, mobility, EVs, electric bikeshare, parking, downtown and waterfront redevelopment, housing, inclusion and equity, food systems, health, homelessness, climate resiliency, IoT, innovative governance, and more. ( Register)