Project Climate works to identify and promote climate change solutions with significant potential. Each solution involves different sectors, technologies, and policy makers. As a result, each requires different approaches.
Here are some of the projects that we are working on:
GrizzlyCorps
We have created an AmeriCorps program, called GrizzlyCorps, that sends 35 recent college grads each year to farm and forest communities. AmeriCorps members will work on regenerative agriculture, forest health, and carbon sequestration – helping those communities build resilience and fight climate change. We are working on expanding the program to include food system resilience.
Fact Sheet: Regenerative/Climate-Smart Agriculture
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Methane
Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, accounting for 25% or more of greenhouse gas impact. Project Climate is focusing on what happens when, in about a year, we have data from methane detection satellites, showing methane emissions (from agriculture, landfills, coal, and oil and gas operations primarily) in every jurisdiction in the world. If jurisdictions can act quickly to control and capture methane, we can make a significant dent in worldwide emissions. We have developed a methane reduction framework/protocol for every jurisdiction that has oil and gas operations and for emissions from the agriculture sector. We are working on frameworks for reduction for the waste sector and for “orphan” oil wells. We have also developed a proposal to establish National Methane Offices in jurisdictions worldwide.
Subscribe to the Methane Times e-newsletter
Climate Break
Climate Break is a radio program, podcast, and website that presents stories of climate progress and interviews with climate innovators from California and around the world, in less than 2 minutes. Our solution-oriented, radio-ready shows are produced by students and climate law and policy experts and is a joint production of CLEE/Project Climate and the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, in partnership with KALW 91.7 FM San Francisco Bay Area.
Climate and Wildfire Institute
Project Climate/CLEE, working with multiple partners, has established the Climate and Wildfire Institute focusing on applying science and lessons learned to wildfire response, forest resilience, data transparency, and action on climate change. The State of California’s $7 million in seed funding provides a firm footing for launch of the Institute.
International Monetary Fund Reform
With nearly $1 trillion USD in assets and influence over 190 countries, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a multilateral institution charged with maintaining global macroeconomic stability and growth—goals directly threatened by climate change. This powerful organization could be a linchpin in steering the international community toward a more sustainable economic future, but its current efforts are inadequate. Project Climate has developed a policy report, “International Monetary Fund Reform for Climate Resilience,” providing key recommendations for the IMF to strengthen climate and economic resilience on a global scale.
Low Hydrocarbon Plastics Standard
Almost all plastics are made from petroleum products (most prominently from natural gas). Oil and gas companies see plastic as a growth area over the next decades, exacerbating our plastic pollution problem as well as generating more greenhouse gases. Project Climate is exploring mechanisms to reduce or eliminate hydrocarbon content of plastic and provide incentives for plastic substitutes and bioplastics.
Trump Environmental Rollbacks
From 2016-2020, the Trump administration undermined environmental protection and action on multiple fronts, including clean air, clean water, and climate change. Project Climate compiled the rollbacks, identified actions and strategies to rescind the rollbacks, and is continuing to track the rescissions of the Biden Administration. In a partnership with Grist, the tracker is being updated regularly and the actions are displayed graphically.
Environmental Enhancements, San Jose Pilot
How can we incentivize landowners not only to maintain their land as open space or agricultural land, but also to enhance the environmental benefits of that land? For example, how can we get farmers to increase the ability of soil to sequester carbon? Project Climate is working with San Jose and other partners on an innovative pilot project in Coyote Valley that will pay landowners to affirmatively enhance their land, in conjunction with promotion of infill development projects in designated areas of the City.
Trump Judges Project
The Trump Administration appointed a record number of federal district court and appellate judges. Project Climate is tracking opinions and decisions written by those judges to gauge their impact on environmental law and policy.
EV Infrastructure in Underserved Communities
Project Climate is starting a project to identify the barriers to installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in underserved communities, with the intent of overcoming those barriers and speeding implementation.
Other Efforts
Project Climate is working to accelerate other promising climate solutions and actions, to the extent time, staffing, and funding allow.