Recent News
- UC climate scientist Daniel Swain named to TIME100 Next list
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, has been named to the 2025 TIME100 Next list — which honors 100 emerging leaders from around the world who are shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership. The TIME100 Next celebrates rising stars from every corner of life — from movies and music to sports, science, politics, and philanthropy.
Cross-UC Climate Organizations
UC Center for Climate, Health and Equity
“Our mission is to make the health and equity aspects of climate change evident, urgent, and actionable. Through research, education, health system sustainability, and policy, our mission is to harness the expertise and leadership of the health sector to drive ambitious climate action for health, and health action for the climate.”
Excellent webinar series on wildfire impacts, toxic metals, possibilities for decarbonizing health care, and more below.
UC Center for Climate Justice
A “system-wide initiative to address climate change as a social justice and equity issue.”
UC Global Health Institute
“The University of California Global Health Institute leverages the research, teaching expertise and power of all ten University of California campuses by fostering relationships across institutions and communities, locally and internationally [and]… work[s] collaboratively to disrupt power structures that perpetuate health inequities and disparities in the State of California and globally.” Their guiding values are “fostering a thriving planet where animals, humans, and the environment live in balance,” grounded in “the principles of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and human rights.”
UC Green New Deal Coalition
Sign here to join other UC faculty, staff, and students advocating for a UC-wide “Green New Deal.” Learn more about the UC GND’s efforts to “Electrify UC” here; this is the group behind the Spring ’22 UC Senate Memorial on Reducing Fossil Fuel Combustion, approved by over 85% of voting faculty system-wide. The UC Green New Deal Coalition meets monthly by zoom.
UCOP Sustainability Office and Global Climate Leadership Council
This is the main UC-wide Sustainability Office site, with links to all the individual campus Sustainability Offices and the annual Sustainable Practices Policy document and the Global Climate Leadership Council which advises UC on climate policy.
UC Berkeley
Berkeley Climate Change Network
UC Berkeley’s network of over 300 on-campus professors and professionals working with off-campus partners to advance climate research, education, and advocacy. Includes links to resources and various UC Berkeley initiatives and events.
Climate Change Resiliency Working Group
As part of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS), this group is considering a possible climate GE. Key contacts: Dan Farber (dfarber@law.berkeley.edu) and Meredith Fowlie (fowlie@berkeley.edu).
UC Davis
Fossil Free UCD
Faculty, staff, and students pushing for UC Davis decarbonization. Thanks to their efforts, UCD Chancellor Gary Mays has committed all UCD campuses to a 75% reduction in fossil fuel use by 2030 and 95% reduction by 2040. Key contacts: Mark Huising (mhuising@ucdavis.edu) and Steven Wheeler (smwheeler@ucdavis.edu).
UCLA
Climate Action Network UCLA
A collaborative effort of faculty, staff, and students focused on decarbonizing the campus and dissociating from fossil fuel companies. Their mission includes divesting from fossil fuels and promoting sustainable practices across the university. Key contact: Rebecca Emigh, emigh@soc.ucla.edu.
UC San Diego
Climate Change Education Requirement Committee
Launched in Fall 2024 by the UC San Diego Faculty Senate, UCSD’s Climate Change GE offers a comprehensive curriculum focused on understanding and addressing the urgent challenges of climate change. Key contact: Daniel Rudnick, drudnick@ucsd.edu.
Green New Deal at UCSD
Students and faculty at UC San Diego are advocating for a fossil-free campus as part of their commitment to addressing climate change. Their efforts focus on transitioning to renewable energy sources and eliminating reliance on fossil fuels within the university’s operations. Key contact: Monica Nelson, m3nelson@ucsd.edu.
Committee on Campus Climate Change
The UC San Diego Faculty Senate Committee on Campus Climate Change has achieved notable milestones, including the nation’s first Climate Change GE and the passage of a fossil fuel funding transparency resolution by the full senate in Spring 2024. Key contact: Varykina Thackray, vthackray@ucsd.edu.
UC San Francisco
UCSF Center for Oceans and Human Health
The mission of the UCSF Center for Oceans & Human Health is to advance Sustainable Development Goals pertaining to public health and ocean health. Furtherance of these goals is achieved through research, community partnerships, and public education about the vital role of oceans in human health and human activities for a healthy ocean.
This center hosts an ongoing webinar series, linked below.