Ethan Elkind
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ethanelkind.bsky.social
Ethan Elkind
@ethanelkind.bsky.social
870 followers 190 following 340 posts
Director of the Climate Program at Berkeley Law CLEE, author of Railtown (book on history of LA Metro Rail), and host of KALW’s Your Call (Mondays/Fridays) & State of the Bay.
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ethanelkind.bsky.social
China is exporting low-cost climate tech to emerging economies at a record pace. It's good news for reducing global emissions, but a huge lost opportunity for the US to remain competitive globally in this field.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/c...
A Flood of Green Tech From China Is Upending Global Climate Politics
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:15 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
Another argument for high speed rail: a hedge against government shutdowns impacting air traffic.
wsj.com The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 4d
Thousands of flights across the U.S. are set to be canceled. Here's a list of 40 affected airports and what you need to know. 🔗 on.wsj.com/3LsYeYz
November 6, 2025 at 11:23 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
While it’s bad news for the US economy that Chinese EVs are dominating the global market, emerging economies are benefiting from low priced, high quality electric transport:

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/c...
A Chinese E.V. Delivers the Host, and a Message, at the Global Climate Summit
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:07 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
King tides and storm surge give us a glimpse of the future with sea level rise.
westmarinfeed.bsky.social The West Marin Feed @westmarinfeed.bsky.social · 5d
Natalia Poltoratzky shot this video of the Bolinas Lagoon washing up on Rt. 1 this morning with the stiff south winds and high tide.
November 6, 2025 at 7:31 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
Under the guise of exempting environmentally beneficial projects from CEQA this year, the CA legislature instead created a broad exemption for all kinds of industrial activity, like pistachio processing and metal forging, among others.

Details on @legal-planet.org:

legal-planet.org/2025/11/05/o...
Of Pistachios and Water Features - Legal Planet
One of the most controversial provisions of SB 131, which created a range of new CEQA exemptions, was an exemption for “a facility for advanced manufacturing, as defined in Section 26003, if the proje...
legal-planet.org
November 6, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
tnorris.bsky.social
I have a @nytimes.com op-ed today on managing power demand growth. Central point: load growth is an opportunity to *offset* upward rate pressure (and avoid gas overbuild), if we plan the system to make fuller use of infrastructure we’ve already paid for. 🔌💡 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/o...
November 4, 2025 at 2:04 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
It's mayor's night on @stateofthebay.bsky.social! First, we chat w/San Jose mayor @mattmahansj.bsky.social

Then: media roundtable on SF Mayor Lurie w/@esksf.bsky.social & JD Morris @sfchronicle.com

Finally: Del Sol Quartet

Stream live 6pm PT @kalwradio.bsky.social!

www.kalw.org/show/state-b...
Spotlight on Bay Area Mayors / The Del Sol Quartet
Bay Area Mayors: San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan; A media roundtable on San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie; the Del Sol Quartet
www.kalw.org
November 4, 2025 at 12:33 AM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
Wonderful to have you on!
November 4, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
whosyrhoosier.bsky.social
Love @kalwradio.bsky.social !
November 3, 2025 at 6:49 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
How could the fast-growing "Rights of Nature" movement help empower greater ecosystem protection?

We'll discuss on Your Call's One Planet Series today 10am PT w/ @katiesurma.bsky.social.

Stream live 10am PT @kalwradio.bsky.social!

www.kalw.org/show/your-ca...
How the Rights of Nature movement redefines human–nature relations
The Rights of Nature movement works to advance the understanding that ecosystems, wildlife, and the Earth are living beings with inherent rights to exist.
www.kalw.org
November 3, 2025 at 5:39 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
Why EVs will dethrone internal combustion engine vehicles over time:

"Global average lithium-ion battery-pack prices reached $115 kWh during 2024, a sharp 30% decline since 2020 and...more than 90% in the past 15 years."

www-nature-com.libproxy.berkeley.edu/articles/s44...
UC Berkeley Library Proxy Login
www-nature-com.libproxy.berkeley.edu
October 31, 2025 at 10:49 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
What role did climate change play in intensifying Hurricane Melissa? What's the latest from the Caribbean on the storm?

We'll discuss on Your Call today at 10am PT w/ @mrmattsimon.bsky.social.

Stream live @kalwradio.bsky.social!

www.kalw.org/show/your-ca...
How climate change supercharged Hurricane Melissa
Climate Central’s rapid attribution study found that climate change strengthened Melissa’s winds by about 10 mph, which has devastated communities across the Caribbean.
www.kalw.org
October 31, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
dave.bzky.team
Thanks so much to @emilypont.bsky.social for covering what might be the most underrated climate battlefield there is. As I say in the piece, in the Trump era, there is no clearer opportunity for state and local elected officials to make a tangible difference on climate than saving transit.
3 of America’s Biggest Public Transit Systems Are Teetering on the Brink
Riders in Chicago, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area are staring down budget crises, with deep service cuts not far behind.
heatmap.news
October 20, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
jigarshahdc.bsky.social
For the first time, new clean energy generation (solar, wind, nuclear) provided more new GWhs then new electricity demand (369Twh). With continued exponential growth and new geothermal coming online at scale in a few years we should sustain this every year.

ember-energy.org/latest-insig...
Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025 | Ember
Solar and wind outpaced demand growth in the first half of 2025, as renewables overtook coal’s share in the global electricity mix.
ember-energy.org
October 15, 2025 at 2:55 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
I spoke to @acbowen.bsky.social of KPBS radio in San Diego yesterday about the significance of #SB79, its major provisions, and its likely impact going forward:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeCu...
Newsom signs SB 79 to increase housing near public transit
YouTube video by KPBS Public Media
www.youtube.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
mnolangray.bsky.social
By popular demand, @aceckhouse.bsky.social and I have put together a deep-in-the-weeds explainer on SB 79. Enjoy!
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Everything You Need To Know About SB 79
…but were too afraid to read about in the actual bill.
substack.com
October 12, 2025 at 7:37 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
LA County has 150 transit stops that #SB79 will now upzone.

Here’s the map from @latimes.com:
October 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
Good examples here of the impact of SB 79
acbowen.bsky.social Andrew Bowen (he/him) @acbowen.bsky.social · Oct 10
San Diego is preparing 2 community plan updates impacted by SB79: Clairemont and College. These are my rough sketches of the half-mile radii around trolley stops. Yellow is where the city wanted to keep single-family zoning.

Past coverage:
www.kpbs.org/news/local/2...
www.kpbs.org/news/quality...
October 10, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
jael.bsky.social
the republican governor of utah spencer cox cites my story about esmeralda 7’s apparent cancelation to criticize the trump administration:

“this is how we lose the AI/energy arms race with china”
Spencer Cox: This is how we lose the AI/energy arms race with China. Our country needs an all-of-the-above approach to energy (like Utah). We should be all in on nuclear/natural gas/geothermal and keeping our coal plants open for as long as possible. However, there are innovation/permitting/supply chain issues slowing those down. While intermittent sources have been overvalued in the past (and offshore wind is a disaster and should be discontinued), the incredible leaps in battery technology completely change the value proposition of solar in the right places. Solar with batteries can now be close to baseload power and we should keep these projects rolling until we get the gas/nuclear/geothermal plants we need.
October 10, 2025 at 6:34 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
Wonderful news for those who care about fixing California's brutal housing shortage, bolstering transit ridership, and meeting the state's climate goals!
mnolangray.bsky.social M. Nolan Gray 🥑 @mnolangray.bsky.social · Oct 10
Ladies and gentlemen, we did it. SB 79 has been signed.
October 10, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
yonahfreemark.com
California's governor has signed SB 79, a large-scale upzoning of land near transit throughout the state's largest counties.
cohenhouse.bsky.social Joe Cohen @cohenhouse.bsky.social · Oct 10
WE DID IT!!!
October 10, 2025 at 4:36 PM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
What's in store as the new Supreme Court term begins?

We'll discuss on Your Call 10am PT today w/ @chrisgeidner.bsky.social & @elienyc.bsky.social.

What are your q's for Chris & Elie?

Comment w/ them here and stream live @kalwradio.bsky.social 10am PT!
www.kalw.org/show/your-ca...
Legal experts say democracy is on the line with new Supreme Court term
The Supreme Court’s new term includes cases on presidential power, voting rights, immigrants, campaign finance, and LGBTQ youth.
www.kalw.org
October 10, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
maxdubler.com
The wild success of the upzoning near the Expo/Bundy station in west LA suggests that similar transit oriented upzonings will spur significant housing construction.
October 9, 2025 at 4:19 AM
ethanelkind.bsky.social
Worried @governor.ca.gov won't sign #SB79? I asked @scottwiener.bsky.social for his thoughts on Monday's @stateofthebay.bsky.social.

Listen to his response at 16:45 here:

www.kalw.org/show/state-b...
CA's New AI Safety Law / The Bay Area's Driverless Future/ "Fairyland"
California's landmark AI safety law, how autonomous vehicles will shape the Bay Area's future, the new movie "Fairyland"
www.kalw.org
October 8, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Ethan Elkind
atrubek.bsky.social
Had a book published before mid-2021? Take 5 minutes to see if it's listed here and if so another 5 to enter info. And look up your grandma's book, the book of your friend, etc. and let them know
PSA: Get Your AI Money, Authors
The Anthropic settlement has been preliminarily approved, which means people can join in to be a member in this class action suit.
notesfromasmallpress.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 6:17 PM