IoES in the News

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Daniel Swain for The Hill — Wintry weather disrupts California’s dry spell 

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses a series of storms hitting California, bringing much-needed precipitation but raising uncertainty about compensating for weeks of dry weather for The Hill. Swain anticipates…

Cars driving on the freeway in the rain AP Photo Marcio Jose Sanchez

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Daniel Swain for LAist — California Could See A Snow Drought This Year. What Will It Mean For The State’s Water Supply?

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the record low snow levels gripping California, the Sierra Nevadas and the Western United States for LAist. Swain said California could experience snow drought,…

Right, Sean de Guzman and Anthony Burdock with the CA Department of Water Resources, measure snowpack during the first media snow survey of the 2024 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada. ( Xavier Mascareñas / California Department of Water Resources )

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Daniel Swain for LA Times — ‘Snow drought’ grips California and western United States, despite recent storms

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses alarmingly low levels of snow throughout California and the Sierra Nevadas in a new LA Times story. “In some cases there is literally no…

Despite a recent spate of storms that hit California, the Sierra Nevada is suffering a severe, early season ‘snow drought,’ experts say. Here, storm clouds dwarf downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 21, 2023. Credit Genaro Molina. Los Angeles Times

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Daniel Swain for Washington Post — Massive waves slam California, with more expected Saturday

In a new Washington Post article, UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses massive waves that slammed California’s coast in late December 2023, exploring how rising sea levels and El Niño…

Large waves crash in to Duncan's Landing north of Carmet, Ca., Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023 due to a Pacific storm pummeling Northern California. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)

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Daniel Swain for Pasadena Star-News — Rose Parade 2024: Ready your umbrellas, there’s a chance of rain

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the likelihood of rain during the Rose Bowl Parade for Pasadena Star News. “The main reason it hasn’t rained that often on the parade…

Los Angeles Unified School District Honor Band is wrapped in plastic during the 117th Annual Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, in Pasadena, Calif. It rained on the Rose Parade for the first time in more than a half century. (Photo by Leo Jarzomb, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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Daniel Blumstein for Phys.org—Antibiotic-resistant bacteria offer lessons in behavior modifications

UCLA biologists use insights from antibiotic-resistant bacteria to guide human behavior changes for climate action. Study author and evolutionary biologist Daniel Blumstein discusses the research for Phys.org. “To tackle the…

UCLA researchers used knowledge of biological resistance to build a framework for modifying behavior that contributes to climate change credit Khamkéo Vilaysing - Unsplash

Daniel Blumstein for Techexplorist —Antibiotic-resistant bacteria offer lessons in behavior modifications

UCLA biologists use insights from antibiotic-resistant bacteria to guide human behavior changes for climate action. Study author and evolutionary biologist Daniel Blumstein discusses the research for TechExplorist. “To tackle the…

UCLA researchers used knowledge of biological resistance to build a framework for modifying behavior that contributes to climate change credit Khamkéo Vilaysing - Unsplash

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Daniel Swain for the Associated Press — Pacific storm that unleashed coastal flooding pushes across Southern California into Arizona 

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the recent Pacific storm for the Associated Press, sharing insights into its impact on Southern California and Arizona. The storm, which brought lightning and…

Pacific storm that unleashed coastal flooding pushes across Southern California into Arizona© Provided by The Canadian Press

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Daniel Swain for Washington Post — Pacific storm that unleashed coastal flooding pushes across Southern California into Arizona

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses recent Pacific storm that pushed eastward through desert areas into Arizona after flooding communities northwest of Los Angeles for the Washington Post. “In Oxnard, particularly, overnight…

A man walks past a submerged vehicle on a flooded street- Thursday- Dec - - in Santa Barbara- Calif Jae C Hong : AP

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Daniel Swain for LA Times — Is El Niño’s reputation as a legendary rainmaker overblown?

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain highlights El Niño’s acknowledges El Niño’s significance in forecasting while highlighting its unpredictability for LA Times. “El Niño is never going to be a slam…

Waves crash into a seawall at Mondo’s Beach in Ventura County in January 2016 during an El Niño storm. (LA Times)

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Connect with us on social media!

Connect with us on social media for key sustainability updates and to stay in the know about UCLA’s ongoing environmental research. Instagram @UCLAIoES Twitter/X @UCLAIoES Facebook @UCLAIoES Bluesky @UCLAIoES Threads…

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Liz Koslov for Bloomberg — Who Will Manage the US Climate Retreat?

As climate change intensifies, communities like Oyster, Virginia, grapple with the complexities of relocation amid rising sea levels and frequent extreme weather events. Many wonder whether relocation—or managed retreat—is a sustainable response…

A home on Staten Island’s Oakwood Beach is demolished in 2014.Photographer: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

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Deepak Rajagopal for The Hindu Business Line: The benefits and challenges of transitioning away from oil

Electric transportation, despite its high upfront cost, tax revenues foregone and jobs lost, seems to be the best option. The issue here is to make policy to meet multiple goals

Deepak-Rajagopal

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Daniel Swain for Nature — Daily briefing: How to stave off climate tipping points with self-perpetuating solutions

UCLA climate expert Daniel Swain discusses science communications and climate change for Nature Journal. “Climate scientists are ready & waiting to meet the communication & engagement challenges that the coming…

Brown sediment marks rapidly melting ice on the Greenland ice sheet.Credit: Martin Zwick/Reda&Co/Universal Images Group via Getty

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Daniel Swain for National Geographic — What’s the big deal about Earth getting 2°C hotter?

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses California’s winter precipitation levels for National Geographic “If we could wave a magic wand and [eliminate] carbon emissions tomorrow, we probably could keep [the increase] under 1.5°C…

earth

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Alex Hall for KCRW podcast — COP28 goes local: LA scientists are racing to reverse climate effects

UCLA professor Alex Hall discusses COP28 and its impact on Southern California’s climate for new KCRW podcast. “We’re seeing already impacts on water resources… intensity of wildfires… increases in heat extremes.”

The Woolsey Fire is seen from Hollywood Hills, California, 2018. Photo by Shutterstock.

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Daniel Swain for LA Times — December in California kicks off with 80-degree heat for L.A., rain for the Bay Area

UCLA climate expert Daniel Swain discusses California’s winter precipitation levels for the Los Angeles Times. “From late December through about March, I would expect the odds to be tilted greatly…

A young person rides their bike at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Jon Christensen for ABC7 — Report: Dodger Stadium gondolas would remove thousands of cars on game day

UCLA adjunct assistant professor Jon Christensen discusses the proposed Dodger Stadium gondolas for ABC7. “It would really destroy the value of that park.” Expanding and electrifying the existing bus service…

Dodger Stadium gondolas

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Morgan Tingley and Olivia Sanderfoot for Scientific American —Wildfire Brought Wolves Back to Southern California after 150 Years

Gray wolves make a historic return to Southern California after 150 years, claiming scorched territories. UCLA ecologists Morgan Tingley and Olivia Sanderfoot discuss the ecological impacts and challenges for Scientific American.

A Gray Wolf looking straight in the camera.A gray wolf in the Yellowstone area of Wyoming. The same species has recently appeared in Southern California for the first time in about 150 years. Credit: Design 14/Alamy Stock Photo

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Daniel Swain and Alex Hall for NY Times — What an El Niño Winter Could Mean for California

UCLA climate scientists Daniel Swain and Alex Hall were both quoted in a recent article by The New York Times. They discuss what an El Niño winter could mean for California. “This is likely to…

Passing rain clouds at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area in Agua Dulce, California. | Myung J. Chun, LA Times

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From Betrayal to Revolution: Challenging the Global Leadership Void

by 2023 Pritzker Award Finalist Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez As the lead climate negotiator for Panama at COP26, I entered the fray determined to counter the apathy of decision makers and…

Narrative picture 002 JMonterrey Essay Picture

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Fireproofing Nigeria’s Last Primary Forest and Solving Planetary Crises

by 2023 Pritzker Award Finalist Iroro Tanshi Our world is on fire. Australia, Europe, Canada, California, and even my homeland, Nigeria and West Africa — all are witnessing climate-enabled wildfires…

Tanshi examines a bat's wing to determine its age after capture in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

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My Journey from Conflict to Conservation

by 2023 Pritzker Award Finalist Hana Raza I was born in the rugged mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, where history has been a tale of persecution and resilience. The richness of…

Female Persian leopard. 2023 Pritzker Award Finalist Hana Raza rediscovered the Persian Leopard in Iraq in 2011. | Photo by Hana Raza

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Travis Longcore for LA Times — “How L.A.’s bird population is shaped by historic redlining and racist loan practices”

UCLA ecologist Travis Longcore discusses new study showing how LA’s bird population is shaped by historic redlining, with wealthier areas attracting more biodiversity for the Los Angeles Times. “The legacy…

Christian Benitez and Eric M Wood stood outside a corner liquor store searching for birds. Genaro Melina, LA Times

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Greg Pierce for LAist — It’s A New Water Year. What Can We Expect Ahead?

Director of UCLA’s Human Right to Water Solutions Lab, Greg Pierce discusses California’s water supply for LAist. The anticipated wet year “should set us up again to avoid desperation,” but…

Hansen spreading grounds in Sun Valley is one of L.A. County's largest stormwater capture and flood control basins. (Erin Stone / LAist)