Dr. Leah C. Stokes Profile picture
Prof. climate + energy policy UCSB. Alum @MIT @Columbia @UofT. Host @degreespod. insta/threads: @leahcstokes bluesky: @leahstokes.bsky.social - Cuts pollution!
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Aug 6 7 tweets 3 min read
When it comes to climate, the Harris-Walz ticket is stacked. These two leaders are climate champions.

They've pushed for clean water, cut pollution, and taken bold action. Oh, and they both love heat pumps and electric school buses. THREAD!
theguardian.com/commentisfree/… You've probably heard about Harris' tie-breaking vote for our nation's biggest climate law.

But maybe you haven't heard about Minnesota's climate law, Walz's version...
minnesotareformer.com/2023/05/25/wha…
Jul 22 8 tweets 3 min read
Vice President Kamala Harris has a long record on climate change and environmental justice you probably haven't heard enough about. I've been digging into her background and this woman is a climate champion. Can't wait for her to be PRESIDENT!

Here are the receipts... THREAD! Image Way back in 2005, Attorney General Harris sent up a new division to prosecute environmental crimes in California. That's TWO DECADES AGO. At the time she said, "Crimes against the environment are crimes against communities." As true today as it was then.
sfgate.com/crime/article/…
Sep 25, 2023 8 tweets 4 min read
How common is opposition to wind energy and what predicts where it occurs? My new open access research in @PNASNews looks at wind energy opposition across North America between 2000 to 2016. We find opposition is common and growing over time. THREAD! 🧵
pnas.org/doi/full/10.10…
Image Methods: After compiling almost 36,000 newspaper articles, we associated them with specific wind projects in both the USA and Canada between 2000-2016. We coded whether opponents protested, used the courts, tried to block permits, or wrote letters to the editor.
Apr 24, 2023 7 tweets 4 min read
The Republican debt ceiling bill is a recipe for American decline. It attacks bedrock economic policies that are hugely popular.

McCarthy is in chaos, and likely doesn’t have the votes. But, House Republicans who support this bill are voting against jobs in their districts...🧵 If @RepLoudermilk supports the Republican debt ceiling bill, he is voting for killing 6,000 jobs in his Georgia district, putting $4.5B in battery manufacturing and $2.5B in solar manufacturing projects at risk. That's $7 billion of investments.
reuters.com/business/autos…
Apr 14, 2023 6 tweets 2 min read
Buried down on Page 118 of the big climate law is a hydrogen tax credit. It could help clean up aviation and heavy industry.

But if the Biden admin implements it poorly, it could move us in the wrong direction on climate change. My latest in @nytimes.
nytimes.com/2023/04/14/opi… Hydrogen is a potentially clean fuel. But it all depends on how it's produced. Image
Dec 29, 2022 20 tweets 8 min read
The world is still running on fossil fuels. But, if moving away from dirty energy is like rerouting a giant ship, then this could be the year when world leaders started to turn the tanker around.

Here’s a baker’s dozen of climate wins from 2022! THREAD!🧵
nytimes.com/2022/12/25/opi… #1 - After more than 3 decades of failed efforts, Democrats passed a federal climate law — really a series of them.

The biggest one is the Inflation Reduction Act, but there's also CHIPS + last years' bipartisan infrastructure law.
theatlantic.com/science/archiv…
Oct 4, 2022 4 tweets 2 min read
The *new* 2035 Initiative on climate research and advocacy @ucsantabarbara is HIRING! We have two positions: "Projects and Operations Coordinator" and "Communications and Outreach Coordinator." More details below.

Please share far + wide! 2035initiative.com Image 1) The "Projects and Operations Coordinator" is the lead staff person at the initiative, helping with research projects + policy reports, coordinating all the work we're doing.

Are you excited about climate research + advocacy? Consider applying!
recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02234
Oct 3, 2022 8 tweets 4 min read
BIG NEW UTILITIES REPORT! Today @SierraClub launches the Dirty Truth Report 2.0!

The 50 dirtiest electric utilities are failing to retire coal, stop building new gas, and move rapidly to clean energy, despite their (empty) climate pledges. THREAD... 🧵! coal.sierraclub.org/the-problem/di… We looked at the top 50 polluting American utilities, examining their plans for the coming decade. These utilities must retire coal by 2030, stop building new gas, and replace current generation with clean energy, getting us to 80% clean power by 2030.

Are they doing this? No.
Sep 7, 2022 10 tweets 6 min read
Since the 1960s, electric utilities understood that burning fossil fuels causes climate change. Rather than face the facts, utilities promoted climate denial over several decades.

My new research with @EmilyLyWilliams. THREAD!🧵
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.108… Image As @robinsonmeyer writes: “Years after scientists had reached a consensus that global warming was real, dangerous, and caused by fossil fuels, utilities sold climate half-truths and untruths to policy makers and the public."
theatlantic.com/science/archiv…
Aug 30, 2022 8 tweets 4 min read
Exciting climate policy happening in California. What MUST PASS by tomorrow?
- SB 1137: 3200' drilling buffer zones
- SB 2133 + AB 1279: 55% + 85% GHG reduction 2030 + 2045

Live in California? Call your Senators TODAY! California climate policy THREAD!🧵
climate100.nextgenpolicy.org/gboc-call-your… California must accelerate its carbon pollution targets, getting to 55% below 2005 by 2030, and 85% below by 2045. This is what scientists are clear must happen if we have a chance of limiting warming to 1.5 °C.

We need SB 2133 & AB 1279 to pass NOW!
apnews.com/article/califo…
Aug 1, 2022 5 tweets 2 min read
How much will the Inflation Reduction Act cut carbon pollution? A HUGE AMOUNT!

New @EnergyInnovLLC analysis shows the bill will create jobs, save lives, and slash pollution 37-41%. Bill's climate benefits are 24x bigger than climate costs. Quick 🧵...
axios.com/2022/08/01/cli… This bill would reduce GHG pollution 37-41% below 2005 levels by 2030 -- consistent with Schumer's estimate. Together with executive, state and local action it would put us on track to meet President Biden's goal of cutting pollution in half this decade. bit.ly/3ORxdKt
Jul 28, 2022 7 tweets 2 min read
We now have a game-changing clean energy and climate package ready to go in the Senate. What's in the "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022?" $369 billion in transformative investments.

Here's one BIG, IMPORTANT climate policy thread...🧵
nytimes.com/2022/07/27/us/… This bill will cut energy costs for everyday Americans. 41% of inflation is driven by fossil fuels.

The bill will help Americans buy clean energy technologies, like EVs, solar, and heat pumps, which will lower their energy bills every month.
rewiringamerica.org/policy/clean-e…
Jul 19, 2022 6 tweets 3 min read
With Manchin's betrayal, the Biden Admin must act NOW on climate. What can they do? Here's five key actions they can take from @EvergreenAction.

Step one? Reject the Mountain Valley Pipeline permits. 🧵...
evergreenaction.com/blog/five-imme… Step 2: Expedite rules under the Clean Act Act to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants and ensure that any new power plant that's built is CLEAN.
Jun 6, 2022 8 tweets 5 min read
Today @POTUS took bold steps to support American clean energy manufacturing. He invoked the Defense Production Act, and declared national emergencies based on climate to solve a solar problem.

Want to understand today’s BIG climate policy announcement? A THREAD!🧵... Today DPA announcement supports manufacturing in 5 clean technologies: heat pumps, solar, insulation, clean hydrogen, grid stability.

A few months ago, @rewiringamerica called on the Admin to invoke the DPA for heat pumps in our Electrify for Peace plan!
rewiringamerica.org/policy/electri…
Apr 22, 2022 5 tweets 4 min read
It's Earth Day! Want to take some action? I've got ideas for you!
1) call4climate.com - tell your Senators to act NOW to pass climate investments - takes 5 minutes
2) Donate to @Chandra4GAPSC - super important race to support clean power in Georgia! secure.actblue.com/donate/chandra… 3) Make a plan to use less gas for cooking. You can think about replacing your gas stove. Or just get a toaster oven and induction cooktop plate -- works even if you rent and doesn't cost much! Your lungs will thank you.
scarymommy.com/lifestyle/rese…
Apr 20, 2022 6 tweets 2 min read
An exciting new, landmark bill was just introduced in California to speed up the transition to 100% clean power. What's in SB 1020? 🧵
sd39.senate.ca.gov/news/20220419-… The bill would speed up California's targets, aiming for 90% clean power by 2030 and 95% by 2040.

As the 2035report.com showed, this can be done. It's time for California to ramp up its ambition and lead the way.
Apr 4, 2022 6 tweets 3 min read
New IPCC scientific climate report out today. What does it say about cutting carbon pollution? We must:
- rollout clean energy at unprecedented pace + scale
- electrify everything we can: transportation, buildings + parts of heavy industry
- + more... 🧵
ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/ Some regions are beginning to cut carbon pollution, even as global pollution grows. But, it's not happening fast enough: we need to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030 to have a chance of limiting warming to 1.5 °C. Image
Sep 9, 2021 9 tweets 4 min read
Breaking news! Energy & Commerce has proposed a Clean Electricity Performance Program (CEPP).

This bold climate policy will create millions of jobs, clean up pollution, and boost the economy by a trillion dollars. How would the program work? All the details in a THREAD! 🧵 The program will require utilities to move faster on building clean power. Each year, they will need to add 4% more clean power to their mix. For example, a utility starting at 40% clean power in 2022 would need to get to 44% clean power by 2023.
Aug 18, 2021 6 tweets 3 min read
What is the "Clean Electricity Payment Program"? Check out the new report I published today with @SamTRicketts @EvergreenAction on the proposed CEPP.

Quick THREAD! 🧵
collaborative.evergreenaction.com/policy-hub/100… Already, more than 1 in 3 Americans live in a place that’s targeting 100% clean power in the coming decades. The CEPP will supercharge this state-by-state effort with federal investments as utilities make rapid progress on clean energy.
Jul 29, 2021 14 tweets 6 min read
The bipartisan infrastructure deal is moving forward with some good climate investments. But compared to what President Biden proposed in the American Jobs Plan, it's cents on the dollar.

We need a big, bold climate package this summer. THREAD... 🧵
theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/… First the good: the bipartisan deal has solid investments in transmission, likely around $28 billion. This will support clean energy. Details include:
- $2.5B to create a revolving loan fund at DOE for transmission
- $3B for Smart Grid investments
- Grid Deployment Authority
Jul 13, 2021 8 tweets 4 min read
Are you sick of watching climate disasters across the country? Want to take some action?

Tell your Senators we need big, bold climate investments passed this summer. Go to call4climate.com + dial 202-318-1885! It’s not hard: watch me do it in this video. Then, join me! Negotiations over climate policy in Congress can feel complicated. So we want to make it easy for you to plug in, make a call, and make a difference.

We've come up with a simple list of 4 big asks you can make in your call. I'll break them down here in a quick thread... 🧵