Center for Law, Energy & the Environment

The Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) channels the expertise of the Berkeley Law community into pragmatic, creative policy solutions to critical environmental and energy challenges.

We’ve won the Imagine H20 California Water Policy Challenge

CLEE, and our partners at Water and Power Law Group PC, have won the 2017 Imagine H20 Water Policy challenge for our modern water rights database proposal.

Effective administration of California water resources requires a water rights database that includes all water rights and their terms, a system that doesn’t yet exist. We will now be undertaking a pilot project to push forward this effort for a searchable database that supports managements decisions and fosters sustainability.

The water rights database is complementary to other work we are conducting on water data.

Planning for Utility-Scale Solar PV in the San Joaquin Valley: What Does the Future Hold? 

When: Tuesday, June 6, 2017, 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Farella Braun + Martel, San Francisco

CLEE co-hosted a a panel with the Environmental Law Institute and Farella Braun + Martel to discuss how stakeholders and policy makers can ensure that future solar PV deployment occurs only in “least-conflict” (land on which solar development is least likely to engender objections and possibly litigation) lands in the San Joaquin Valley region and beyond. Panelists discussed some of the findings from last year’s influential CLEE report, A Path Forward: Identifying Least-Conflict Solar PV Development in California’s San Joaquin Valley.

We’re hiring a Water Law & Policy Fellow

We’re looking for a talented and passionate individual to join our water law and policy program.  This is a terrific opportunity to join a dynamic team and help build a more sustainable California.

To find out more, take a look at the job posting.

Environmental & Energy Law Certificates Ceremony

When: Thursday, May 11, 10am-12:30pm
Where: Warren Room (295 Boalt Hall)

Students, faculty, staff and the broader Environmental and Energy law community joined us to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and award Certificates of Specialization in Environmental and Energy & Clean Technology Law. We thanks everyone who attended and helped to make this such a special annual event.

Real Estate Choices Help California Meet Climate Goals and Grow Local Economies

Our new report Right Type, Right Place: Assessing the Environmental and Economic Impacts of Infill Residential Development through 2030 finds that encouraging new housing development in infill areas would spur economic growth, reduce monthly housing costs, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

A collaboration with the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley and commissioned by Next 10, this is the first comprehensive academic study of its kind.

Reviewing the Year and Looking Ahead

Highlighting our efforts over the past months and providing a look forward to our projects in 2017, we are delighted to share our 2016 Annual Report.

With a summary of all of our research projects over the past year, from efforts to spur innovation in wastewater management and new methods to find the best lands for solar photovoltaic development, we hope that you will enjoy a quick look!