As two large economies, China and California are now taking actions to reduce methane emissions from the solid waste sector. Since different policies and technologies are adopted in the two jurisdictions, both sides can share lessons-learned and experiences with one another. Join us to hear from issue-experts on these topics, including about the launch of a new California-China Climate Institute report which focuses on lessons-learned from California.
Past Events
For a schedule of all our events, seminars, and lectures visit our calendar.
[Webinar] Opportunities for Enhanced Near-term U.S.-China Climate Action: The Food System
The food system contributes about 34% of total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with China and the United States as the first and third largest emitters, respectively. Among the greatest opportunities for emissions reductions in the food system are reducing and repurposing food loss and waste, along with improvements in fertilizer use efficiency. Join us to hear from issue-experts on how the U.S. and China can tackle emissions, while concurrently improving soil and human health, meeting global food demand and achieving sustainable development goals.
[Webinar] Opportunities for Enhanced Near-term U.S.-China Climate Action: Decarbonizing the Buildings Sector
Buildings contribute to 40% of the globe’s greenhouse gas emissions, consuming three-quarters of electricity in the United States alone. Meanwhile, China has the largest building stock in the world, amounting to nearly half of the globe’s new building area. Buildings also contribute significantly to industrial emissions from the production of construction materials like concrete and steel. How can we ensure zero carbon emissions in new building development? How can we reduce emissions from existing building stocks to contribute to climate objectives? Join us to learn from issue-experts on building decarbonization opportunities for the U.S. and China, including examples from the State of California.
[Webinar]: Methane Webinar Series: Reducing Methane Emissions from Agricultural Rice Cultivation and Livestock in California and China
Methane is responsible for approximately 20 percent of current global warming, and methane emissions continue to increase worldwide. For both California and China, one potential shared avenue for reducing methane is through more sustainable agricultural practices, as agriculture is a major source of methane emissions in these two regions. What opportunities exist for reducing methane emissions from the agricultural sector, particularly from rice cultivation and livestock? We heard from issue experts from California and China, offering their insights.
[In-person event]: COP27 Side Event: Strategic Opportunities in China's Decarbonization: Meeting Climate Goals and the SDGs in the Critical Decade
How can China sustainably decarbonize? China has set a goal to peak emissions by 2030 and to reach carbon neutrality by 2060 through shifting to a more sustainable development path. Through applying an integrated approach to address climate and development objectives, China can leverage various opportunities for coordinated action over this critical next decade. This panel will feature a range of perspectives to share lessons learned from their work, opportunities for near-term progress, and the powerful roles that civil society can play in spurring action.
[In-person event]: COP27 Side Event: Accelerating Nature-based Climate Solutions across China and California: What will it Take?
California and China are influential global climate leaders with a history of working together on climate initiatives. Last April, California and China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment signed a memorandum of understanding reconfirming their commitment to climate action and collaboration. The MOU explicitly mentions nature-based climate solutions as one of the priority areas of interest. While both jurisdictions are taking steps to integrate nature-based solutions in their climate goals and strategies, the pace and scale of action needs to be substantially increased to meet the climate commitments made in the 2015 Paris Agreement. This panel will share the many NbS happening in California and China, the ways policy and incentives can accelerate action, and how California-China collaboration on NbS can catalyze even greater global action.
[In-person event]: COP27 Side Event: California's Subnational Climate Leadership
Through forward-thinking legislation, emissions standards, and other actions, California has made substantial progress over the past two decades in cutting its greenhouse gas emissions. California has consistently placed environmental policy at the center of the statewide agenda under both Democratic and Republican administrations. This event will explore California’s interagency-based regulatory framework to plan and execute climate action, the diverse funding sources it has tapped, and the example the state has set for both local and international partners. In addition, it will highlight the opportunities multi-state collaborations, like the U.S. Climate Alliance, present.
[In-person event]: COP 27 Side Event: Co-learning for Climate Action: University-led Collaborative Research Partnerships to Support Equitable Science
Universities are building meaningful partnerships with communities, governments and civil society to support co-learning and the development of integrated climate solutions that are just and sustainable. In the near-term, universities have strong roles to play to develop equitable solutions to meet urgent needs such as addressing methane emissions, energy transitions and implementation. This event will bring together leadership from various university-housed centers to share about their collaborative research partnerships and the impactful results of these joint efforts.
[Webinar]: Methane Webinar Series: Subnational Opportunities to Reduce Methane Emissions
Methane is responsible for about 20 percent of current global warming, and methane emissions continue to increase worldwide. Taking targeted action on reducing methane could avoid nearly 0.3 ℃ of global warming by the 2040s, thus providing more time to adopt more ambitious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Subnational jurisdictions in both China and the United States are taking actions to control methane emissions. Both sides can learn from the lessons and experiences of one another, particularly on methane control policy-making and implementation. Join us to hear issue-experts from California and China to discuss these issues.
[Webinar]: Opportunities for Near-Term U.S.-China Climate Action: Tackling the Aviation and Maritime Transportation Sectors
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, accounting for more than a quarter of annual emissions. In China, the sector accounts for nearly 10% of carbon dioxide emissions. Efforts to decarbonize the transportation sector are a key part of the climate strategies of both countries, with China leading on the deployment of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, some sub-sectors of transportation are notoriously difficult to decarbonize, including reducing emissions from flights, and from ships. What opportunities exist for the U.S. and China to help the difficult to abate aviation and marine sectors? We heard from issue-experts on opportunities for the U.S. and China in the coming decade.