Mark Lubell
@envpolicycenter.bsky.social
Professor Mark Lubell co-directs the UC Davis Center for Environmental Policy and Behavior. Water, agriculture, climate, conservation, social science. Thinkology. Advocate for truth and evidence. https://environmentalpolicy.ucdavis.edu/
Very cool to see them using quantitative data journalism to conduct this type of analysis and support their advocacy. While inattention to agriculture is indeed troubling, I find this graphic even more troubling:
November 25, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Very cool to see them using quantitative data journalism to conduct this type of analysis and support their advocacy. While inattention to agriculture is indeed troubling, I find this graphic even more troubling:
Speaker describing the challenge of multiple permitting agencies in the context of watershed restoration
October 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Speaker describing the challenge of multiple permitting agencies in the context of watershed restoration
I am working on case studies of frontline communities and sea level rise. Canal district in San Rafael. Majority Latino, subsiding, built out right over water. City already has to pump. Adaptation solutions without displacement very hard
October 23, 2025 at 7:03 PM
I am working on case studies of frontline communities and sea level rise. Canal district in San Rafael. Majority Latino, subsiding, built out right over water. City already has to pump. Adaptation solutions without displacement very hard
Here I saved you some time for the job description.
October 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Here I saved you some time for the job description.
Guess what we found on our front yard lemon tree in Davis!
September 30, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Guess what we found on our front yard lemon tree in Davis!
I mean AI is just crazy. In joke with some other faculty, asked ChatGPT to write a 200 word abstract of "Grade Auctions as Critical Marxist Pedagogy." It then asked me if I wanted to make it "denser" with Marxist pedagogy! And it obliged when I asked to provide two critiques of its own work. LOL
September 3, 2025 at 10:46 PM
I mean AI is just crazy. In joke with some other faculty, asked ChatGPT to write a 200 word abstract of "Grade Auctions as Critical Marxist Pedagogy." It then asked me if I wanted to make it "denser" with Marxist pedagogy! And it obliged when I asked to provide two critiques of its own work. LOL
The title of this upcoming Nat Academy workshop is a sad reminder of the current politics of science. And also the stereotype that social science is cheap/free. Why not a workshop on "Doing Engineering Research with Little to No funding". Sigh...I feel bad for early career researchers right now...
September 3, 2025 at 6:48 PM
The title of this upcoming Nat Academy workshop is a sad reminder of the current politics of science. And also the stereotype that social science is cheap/free. Why not a workshop on "Doing Engineering Research with Little to No funding". Sigh...I feel bad for early career researchers right now...
Some facts from an early 2001 analysis. Although exact details have probably changed, and there is some regional variation (i.e. Tongass), the bottom line is that the economic value of extractive use in roadless areas is minimal. This is why they are roadless in the first place!
August 28, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Some facts from an early 2001 analysis. Although exact details have probably changed, and there is some regional variation (i.e. Tongass), the bottom line is that the economic value of extractive use in roadless areas is minimal. This is why they are roadless in the first place!
Also, when Bush allowed states to "petition" for roadless areas, most Western state proposed fewer acres. Even Colorado.
August 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Also, when Bush allowed states to "petition" for roadless areas, most Western state proposed fewer acres. Even Colorado.
I teach about the roadless rule in my public land management as example of Presidential power, where agencies respond to Pres directives. Here is a slide summarizing some of the winding road...but not updated to 2025.
August 28, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I teach about the roadless rule in my public land management as example of Presidential power, where agencies respond to Pres directives. Here is a slide summarizing some of the winding road...but not updated to 2025.
See the white space, where they can't even get info about land elevation change from the GSA that is controlled by Boswell.
July 22, 2025 at 6:52 PM
See the white space, where they can't even get info about land elevation change from the GSA that is controlled by Boswell.
ChatGPT is good at making political cartoons...the ethics of asking it to do so....anybody's guess.
July 16, 2025 at 8:12 AM
ChatGPT is good at making political cartoons...the ethics of asking it to do so....anybody's guess.
This cartoon is undeniably correct.
July 16, 2025 at 8:03 AM
This cartoon is undeniably correct.
This pattern also translates into relatively weak social norms and the related idea of “pluralistic ignorance”. Although the perceived norms are somewhat more hopeful.
July 8, 2025 at 3:32 PM
This pattern also translates into relatively weak social norms and the related idea of “pluralistic ignorance”. Although the perceived norms are somewhat more hopeful.
While majority of Americans see climate change as risk almost nobody talks about it with others. This is a major reason for lack of action. climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
July 8, 2025 at 3:28 PM
While majority of Americans see climate change as risk almost nobody talks about it with others. This is a major reason for lack of action. climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
Another perspective on polycentric governance: actors linked to collaborative forums. Bay Adapt and other regional efforts in the center. But you clearly see geographic clustering (homophily): Yolo/Sac, Contra Costa/Solano; Stockton/San Joaquin.
June 27, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Another perspective on polycentric governance: actors linked to collaborative forums. Bay Adapt and other regional efforts in the center. But you clearly see geographic clustering (homophily): Yolo/Sac, Contra Costa/Solano; Stockton/San Joaquin.
Here is the ranking of barriers to adaptation. Money is always mentioned. But it is far from the only thing, and we have shown elsewhere that the social/political barriers may be more correlated with success. Also...science is not the barrier! I'm prepping to write a paper on this last point.
June 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Here is the ranking of barriers to adaptation. Money is always mentioned. But it is far from the only thing, and we have shown elsewhere that the social/political barriers may be more correlated with success. Also...science is not the barrier! I'm prepping to write a paper on this last point.
Some of our social science work built into the Delta Adaptation plan. Social science led by Tara Pozzi. This is the ranking of collaborative activities, which basically is ordered in terms of costs, and similar across all the regions we have studied.
June 27, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Some of our social science work built into the Delta Adaptation plan. Social science led by Tara Pozzi. This is the ranking of collaborative activities, which basically is ordered in terms of costs, and similar across all the regions we have studied.
Polycentric governance in action here.
June 26, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Polycentric governance in action here.
ChatGPT and AI are certainly disruptive tech. But also fun!
June 5, 2025 at 9:51 PM
ChatGPT and AI are certainly disruptive tech. But also fun!
Supreme Court decision limiting scope of NEPA is interesting including liberal judges concurring. It rests agency discretion to decide whether to consider "upstream" and "downstream" effects in project scope. Read it! The case is a good overview of NEPA law!
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
May 30, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Supreme Court decision limiting scope of NEPA is interesting including liberal judges concurring. It rests agency discretion to decide whether to consider "upstream" and "downstream" effects in project scope. Read it! The case is a good overview of NEPA law!
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
Wow the Liberals won the Canadian election because the Conservative candidate was too "Trump" and Canadians are like f-Trump! This is remarkably swift change in political attitudes and behavior. It seems like the average Canadian is capable of...thinking for themselves?
April 29, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Wow the Liberals won the Canadian election because the Conservative candidate was too "Trump" and Canadians are like f-Trump! This is remarkably swift change in political attitudes and behavior. It seems like the average Canadian is capable of...thinking for themselves?
Capacity building is critical need for EJ to facilitate CBO access to resources. Biden had a "thriving communities technical assistance program", which will certainly be ended by Trump 2.0. There was only one in CA. We need more in CA and state agencies could help. www.epa.gov/inflation-re...
March 12, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Capacity building is critical need for EJ to facilitate CBO access to resources. Biden had a "thriving communities technical assistance program", which will certainly be ended by Trump 2.0. There was only one in CA. We need more in CA and state agencies could help. www.epa.gov/inflation-re...
Competency on full display here.
March 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Competency on full display here.
Updating my lecture on the role of science and policy. Here are three slides discussing events in chronological order.
March 5, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Updating my lecture on the role of science and policy. Here are three slides discussing events in chronological order.