Grand Challenges

Thirst-quenching as Los Angeles heats up: Next Wave @ UCLA

Alex Hall presenting on the role of climate change in the future of water in Los Angeles during “Next Wave: Thriving in a Hotter Los Angeles” at the Hammer Museum.

Next Wave/ the Hammer Museum

UCLA’s Hammer Museum hosted the final iteration of its 2015 program “Next Wave: Quality, Quantity, and Accessibility to Water in the 21st Century”. The final presentation grappled with issues closest to home, largely under the purview of the goals articulated by the ambitious Sustainable LA Grand Challenge.

Robert Wayne receives UC Research Catalyst Award for biodiversity preservation

Mountain lions roaming through Los Angeles’ Santa Monica Mountains are among the dozens of species that UCLA’s Robert Wayne studies with DNA and genomic testing, in collaboration with the National Park Service.

National Park Service

Robert Wayne (department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) led one of the four projects that have received a Research Catalyst Award for research conducted that is relevant to the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge.

UCLA faculty voice: Sunny, with a chance of apocalypse

Gov. Jerry Brown’s mix of doom and gloom with pragmatic optimism has compelled Californians to take steps to combat climate change.

Ohad Ben-Yoseph/ Flickr

According to Jon Christensen (Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and department of History), whose work has relevance to the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge’s, Governor Jerry Brown’s deft ability to mix doomsaying predictions with pragmatic optimism may just be what California- and the world- need to get back on a sustainable track.

How California can boost biofuel production to cut pollution and help the economy

Ethan Elkind (UCLA School of Law and UC Berkeley School of Law) co-authored a recently-released report indicating that California has not taken full advantage of opportunities to increase its in-state production of biofuel despite state policies that encourage biofuel consumption.

UCLA faculty, students in Paris for historic UN climate talks

More than 100 heads of state began gathering today in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Conference. A group of UCLA faculty and students are joining in on the talks.

Thibault Camus/ AP

UCLA made its presence known with historic UN climate talks. With five UCLA Law School faculty members in attendance, UCLA was well represented at the 2015 UN Climate Conference in Paris.

Source: UCLA faculty, students in Paris for historic UN climate talks UCLA Newsroom, 30 Nov. 2015

Additional coverage of 2015 UN Climate Conference (COP-21):

Student Guest Blogger Terra Laughton: Perspectives on COP21 Legal Planet, 22 Dec. 2015

Student Guest Blogger Terra Laughton: Perspectives on COP21 Legal Planet, 21 Dec. 2015

Thoughts on the Accomplishments of the Paris COP Legal Planet, 12 Dec. 2015

COP 21 Battle over 1.5 Degree Global Target Legal Planet, 11 Dec. 2015

A Moveable Climate Feast? Legal Planet, 8 Dec. 2015

UCLA and other UCs join campuses nationwide on White House Climate Pledge UCLA Newsroom, 19 Nov. 2015