California recently released a draft version of its main climate plan, finding that it is preferable to open burn or leave to decay in the forest a significant portion of biomass residues resulting from wildfire prevention treatments. This is a missed opportunity: as a robust strategy to collect and convert forest waste into carbon-negative wood […]
Could carbon dioxide removal help California meet its climate change goals?
California has established a goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 or sooner, and net-negative emissions thereafter. Achieving this goal will require aggressive emissions reductions and the phase-out of fossil fuels. It is also expected that it will require some carbon dioxide removal (CDR), and the steady scale up of technologies that physically […]
Pathways to Forest Health and Carbon Neutrality in California
As part of our long-term policy design work, CSG has been exploring how California can achieve its ambitious forest health and GHG emissions reduction goals. In this blog post, we highlight findings to date from collaborations with UC Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and others, including promising strategies for aligning the state’s forest health and […]
Lawrence Livermore Releases Landmark Report Highlighting Pathways to Achieve Carbon Neutrality in California by 2045
On January 30th, 2020, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) released a first-of-its-kind report which identifies and quantifies the negative emissions opportunities that would enable California to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 or sooner. “Negative emissions” refers to the physical removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as through natural climate solutions (e.g. soil carbon […]
First Regional Conservation Investment Strategy Approved by CDFW
The first of its kind Santa Clara Regional Conservation Investment Strategy (RCIS) was approved by California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) last month. The Santa Clara RCIS covers the entirety of Santa Clara County and identifies conservation goals, priorities, and actions to protect endangered species such as the San Joaquin kit fox, Swainson’s hawk, […]
California Spends $2.7B on Surface and Groundwater Storage
In 2014, voters passed Proposition 1, a $7.545 billion general obligation bond to fund ecosystems and watershed protection, as well as restoration and water supply infrastructure projects. $2.7 billion was granted to the California Water Commission, who was tasked with allocating the money to surface and groundwater storage projects in California through the Water Storage […]
World Wildlife Fund Chief Scientist emphasizes importance of dynamic conservation during presentation at CSG
CSG was fortunate to host Dr. Rebecca Shaw, Chief Scientist and Senior Vice President at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), who presented to a small group of legislative and state agency thought leaders at our Sacramento office on the challenges to conservation posed by a changing climate and the need for flexible and dynamic tools […]
Proposition 68 Passed by California Voters!
Today, Californians made clear their support and commitment to protecting, enhancing, and growing our state’s environmental treasures by passing Proposition 68! Proposition 68 will address some of our most critical water and natural resource needs and, for the first time ever in a resources bond, prioritize environmental enhancements in disadvantaged communities. Over the past 15 […]
California Mitigation Strategies Highlighted at the 2018 Global Congress in Chile
California is leading the land conservation movement and the international conservation community is taking notice. Thought leaders and conservationists from across the world gathered in Santiago, Chile for the 2018 Global Congress of the International Land Conservation Network Conference last week. Conservation Strategy Group’s Senior Policy Advisor, Graham Chisholm, was among a handful of California […]
California Leads On The Environment
The 2017 legislative session came to a close in the predawn hours of September 16th with legislators already touting it as the most progressive and productive session in memory. Indeed, the Legislature passed a number of high-profile bills that were framed as a direct response or a form of resistance to the actions of the […]