September 2021
New Report: The Future of California’s Water-Energy-Climate Nexus
Without urgent efficiency measures, carbon emissions associated with water usage in California are likely to spike in the coming years, finds a new report from the Pacific Institute and Next 10. "The importance of water conservation measures in meeting California’s climate targets should not be underestimated, especially as drought and water scarcity become more intense with climate change,” says Dr. Julia Szinai, researcher at the Pacific Institute and lead author of the report.

Learn more here. Read and download the report here.

Sign up for the upcoming briefing "The Future of California's Water-Energy-Climate Nexus" on Tuesday September 28 at 11:00am PT here.
Efficiency in Action: Installing Toilet Leak Detection Devices in Los Angeles
Water efficiency improvements, including leak detection, can make a huge difference for water and climate resilience. The Pacific Institute recently worked with Bonneville Environmental Foundation to distribute toilet leak detection devices in a low-income housing project in Los Angeles. Efforts included helping secure rebates from both the Metropolitan Water District and the Los Angeles District of Water and Power to provide funding for the project.

Learn more here.
Pacific Institute Researcher Contributes to Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report
Dr. Shannon McNeeley, Senior Researcher at the Pacific Institute, contributed as a steering committee member and author to the newly released The Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report. The peer-reviewed report aims to “uplift and honor the voices of Indigenous peoples across the U.S.” and is intended as an input to the upcoming Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment. The report was convened by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Tribes and Climate Change Program, and was produced in collaboration with a working group of more than 90 diverse authors, reviewers, and advisors.

Learn more here.
Update from the CEO Water Mandate: Building Knowledge and Partnerships for the Future at World Water Week 2021
The Pacific Institute is Co-Secretariat of the CEO Water Mandate, a UN Global Compact initiative that mobilizes business leaders to take action on water, sanitation, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this role, the Pacific Institute played a leading role in World Water Week 2021.
Watch recordings of the CEO Water Mandate's stewardship and leadership seminars! In the two weeks following the conference, the CEO Water Mandate gained three new endorsers and received seven Communications on Progress from partners committed to the advancement of water stewardship.

Watch here.
Launch of the NBS Benefits Explorer Tool
Nature-based solutions (NBS) aim to use and mimic natural processes to meet societal needs without exacerbating environmental vulnerabilities. They can be used to restore, manage, and protect water resources while increasing biodiversity and providing additional social and economic benefits. Unfortunately, nature-based solutions remain under-utilized, partly because of a lack of frameworks and tools for identifying the benefits and opportunities to monetize the full scope of co-benefits these solutions provide. This new tool addresses the knowledge gap.

Learn about the tool here.
A “Hopeful Step" Toward Realizing the Human Right to Water in California
California’s water budget got a major boost this summer with the state allocating $2 billion for drinking water challenges. This follows a publication by the California State Water Resources Control Board, which the Pacific Institute contributed to, revealing the state was in need of a major overhaul of $10.3 billion over the next five years for struggling water systems and well owners. “This is a hopeful step towards realizing the Human Right to Water in California,” says Morgan Shimabuku of the Pacific Institute. “However, our work is not done."

Learn more here.

Read Drinking Water Cost Assessment & Gap Analysis here.
Upcoming Briefings, Webinars, and Events
SEP 28 I The Future of California's Water-Energy-Climate Nexus

Join the Pacific Institute and Next 10 for a briefing for both policymakers and journalists on the new report The Future of California's Water-Energy-Climate Nexus. Authors Dr. Julia Szinai, Heather Cooley, and Dr. Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute will discuss the key findings and implications for water, energy, and climate policy. The briefing is open to anyone involved or interested in the future of the water-energy-climate nexus.

September 28, 2021 I 11:00am-12:00pm PT
Language: English
Learn more and register here.


OCT 6-7 I WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition

Join Pacific Institute researchers at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas. Director of Research Heather Cooley and Senior Researcher Cora Kammeyer will present “Unlikely Alliances: Public-Private Partnership to Advance Water Conservation in Low-Income Housing.” Research Associate Dr. Sonali Abraham will present “Encouraging Adoption of Sustainable Landscapes Among CII Customers.”

October 6-7, 2021
Language: English
Learn more and register here.


OCT 25-28 I VERGE 21: The Climate Tech Event

Join Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Dr. Gregg Brill and more than 10,000 leaders online — from the private and public sectors, utilities, solution providers, investors, and startups — advancing systemic solutions to address the climate crisis through five key markets: clean energy, sustainable mobility, carbon removal, regenerative food systems, and resilient infrastructure.

Date: October 25-28
Language: English
Learn more and register here.
Pacific Institute in the News: Drought in the American West
The Pacific Institute is the media’s go-to resource for water-related information and analysis. As the drought crisis in the American West continues, here are some highlights from recent interviews on the drought:

“The good news here is [that] the solutions that provide the best climate outcomes are almost always economically and environmentally the best solutions as well...”
- Dr. Peter Gleick, Pacific Institute President Emeritus

“Water conservation and efficiency can help us meet, not only our water goals but or energy and climate goals. And there are many things that we can be doing in our homes and businesses and agriculture to help advance efficiencies.”
- Heather Cooley, Pacific Institute Director of Research

"Desalination, water recycling, and pumping water from deeper underground are more energy intensive than using local surface water supplies and are projected to increase the state’s water-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report from the nonprofit Next 10 and the Pacific Institute..."
- Adam Mahoney, Grist

For information and resources on drought in California, check out www.californiadrought.org.

Read more news featuring Pacific Institute research and experts here.
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