UCLA teams up with LADWP for equitable solutions to reach 100% renewable energy
More than 20 UCLA faculty and researchers have entered into a $2.6 million agreement to conduct research for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to help the city achieve its goal of producing all of its energy from carbon-free and renewable energy sources by 2035 and doing so in ways that benefit all Angelenos equitably.
Historically, some areas, particularly communities of color and under-resourced neighborhoods, have been ignored by progress or have had to bear the brunt of past sustainability measures’ shortcomings.
UCLA experts from a variety of disciplines and who have an eye for environmental justice solutions will help guide the LADWP as it creates the first equity-focused, carbon-free energy transition of any major city. The collaboration was made possible through an existing agreement between the department and the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge. The grand challenge is an interdisciplinary, campus-wide initiative aimed at applying UCLA research and expertise to help transform Los Angeles into the world’s most sustainable megacity by 2050 — making it the planet’s most livable, equitable, resilient, clean and healthy megacity, and an example for the world.
by Jonathan Van Dyke