Irvine, CA – Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) celebrated the State’s $38.2 million investment that will create the University of California, Climate Change Research & Policy Institute. The investment will support a permanent, dedicated hub for climate research and policy engagement across the UC system, leveraging California’s world-class public research universities to help the state meet its ambitious climate goals. UC partners include UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Davis.
“This is a pivotal moment for California. We have ambitious climate goals, and we will only meet them if we keep innovating, building good projects, and keeping energy affordable for families,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) and Chair of the Assembly Committee on Utilities & Energy. "The UC Climate Change Research and Policy Institute is a welcome partner in that work, and I’m optimistic about what it can contribute: sharper science, better-informed policy, and new ideas that strengthen our economy. I’m excited to see what comes out of it.”
“Establishing the UC Climate Change Research and Policy Institute is an acknowledgement of two facts; that we in California have one of the most ambitious climate goals in the world and a public university system with some of the sharpest climate change researchers on Earth,” said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks). “This investment in the UC system will both contribute to groundbreaking climate research and develop an ongoing dialogue with policymakers to ensure that some of California’s brightest minds inform our state’s boldest policies.”
"I'm proud that our state budget is delivering this transformative investment in the University of California. At a time when science and research are under attack at the federal level, California is doubling down on innovation and climate leadership. By bringing together leading scientists and policymakers, this center will help turn cutting-edge research into practical solutions that protect our communities and strengthen our economy. I'm grateful to my legislative colleagues and our UC partners for helping make this investment possible, and I look forward to strengthening this partnership in the years ahead." Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.
“Through the UC Irvine Climate Collaboration, researchers from the natural sciences to the arts are already working side by side with agencies and communities. Our work has helped pinpoint vulnerabilities to flooding and wildfire ignition, identified strategies to increase natural sand supply to the coast and tapped into urban parks to improve cooling during heat waves. State funding builds on that momentum and will help expand these efforts across California.” Dr. Brett F. Sanders, Chancellor’s Professor and Director, UC Irvine Climate Collaboration.
“We are grateful to Governor Newsom and the Legislature, especially Assemblymembers Petrie-Norris and Irwin, for their continued commitment to helping California prepare for and respond to a changing climate. The state’s investment puts University of California expertise to work for the communities we serve. At UC Irvine, from Nobel Prize-winning ozone research in the 1970s to today’s UC Irvine Climate Collaboration, our researchers have shown how to turn discoveries into solutions that improve lives.” Hal Stern, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, UC Irvine.
The institute will bring researchers and state policymakers into closer collaboration, helping ensure that publicly funded climate research addresses California’s most pressing challenges and that scientific findings inform the development and implementation of effective climate policies.
By supporting research and innovation across key sectors, including energy, transportation, industry, and agriculture, the institute will help advance emissions reduction strategies, accelerate decarbonization, and identify emerging technologies and approaches to address climate change.
The investment builds on legislative efforts to strengthen California’s climate policies and expand the role of university research in achieving the state’s long-term environmental and economic objectives.
Through a durable, collaborative framework, the UC Climate Change Research Institute will help bridge the gap between scientific discovery and public policy, supporting California’s research community and advancing climate solutions for years to come.
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Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris represents California’s 73rd District including Costa Mesa, Irvine and Tustin. She is the Chair of the Utilities and Energy Committee. She is also a member of the Budget Committee; Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact Committee; Insurance Committee; and Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee. After working her way through Yale University, where she double majored in Economics and English, Cottie had a successful 20-year career in finance and technology. She helped to build businesses and led teams at Fortune 500 corporations, small companies and start-ups. Follow Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris on Instagram (@asmcottie) and Facebook (AssemblywomanCPN).