Leah Stokes
@leahstokes.bsky.social
Professor of climate + energy policy at UCSB. Alumni of MIT, Columbia and UToronto. Hosts "A Matter of Degrees" podcast. Cuts carbon pollution! Proudly 🇨🇦 Gardener 🌱 leahstokes.com
On the latest episode of A Matter of Degrees, we talk to @drkatemarvel.bsky.social about her amazing new book, "Human Nature." It's a story of climate science told through nine emotions. A beautiful read. Listen to the conversation wherever you get your podcasts!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
October 9, 2025 at 6:45 PM
On the latest episode of A Matter of Degrees, we talk to @drkatemarvel.bsky.social about her amazing new book, "Human Nature." It's a story of climate science told through nine emotions. A beautiful read. Listen to the conversation wherever you get your podcasts!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Today's garden haul. I think I planted too many squash. Probably the end of the tomatoes at last. 🌱
September 23, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Today's garden haul. I think I planted too many squash. Probably the end of the tomatoes at last. 🌱
Must read, hopeful new book from the great @billmckibben.bsky.social. Solar power has dropped dramatically in price and is being deployed at record rates around the world. It's not all doom and gloom. Here comes the sun!
August 20, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Must read, hopeful new book from the great @billmckibben.bsky.social. Solar power has dropped dramatically in price and is being deployed at record rates around the world. It's not all doom and gloom. Here comes the sun!
Today's garden haul. 🌱
August 5, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Today's garden haul. 🌱
Yesterday, I spoke with CCN about why the renewable energy industry matters now more than ever for both our economy and our planet. With climate change accelerating and electricity demand on the rise, solar, wind, and batteries are the future.
July 9, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Yesterday, I spoke with CCN about why the renewable energy industry matters now more than ever for both our economy and our planet. With climate change accelerating and electricity demand on the rise, solar, wind, and batteries are the future.
Our new report with Project Innerspace show how geothermal can decarbonize the industrial sector. We examine sectors that are good candidates for geothermal, case studies of existing sites, and strategies to scale geothermal heat.
Read the full report: www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
Read the full report: www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
July 8, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Our new report with Project Innerspace show how geothermal can decarbonize the industrial sector. We examine sectors that are good candidates for geothermal, case studies of existing sites, and strategies to scale geothermal heat.
Read the full report: www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
Read the full report: www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
Conventional geothermal systems only work in places where heat is near the surface. But next-generation technologies can drill deeper to access heat almost anywhere. This means industrial plants don’t have to be located near rare hydrothermal reservoirs to replace fossil fuels with geothermal.
July 8, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Conventional geothermal systems only work in places where heat is near the surface. But next-generation technologies can drill deeper to access heat almost anywhere. This means industrial plants don’t have to be located near rare hydrothermal reservoirs to replace fossil fuels with geothermal.
The industrial sector emits almost 1/4 of US climate pollution, mostly from using fossil fuels for heat. But there is a virtually unlimited source of clean heat right beneath our feet... geothermal! THREAD on our new report on geothermal for industrial decarb.
www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
July 8, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The industrial sector emits almost 1/4 of US climate pollution, mostly from using fossil fuels for heat. But there is a virtually unlimited source of clean heat right beneath our feet... geothermal! THREAD on our new report on geothermal for industrial decarb.
www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
www.2035initiative.com/unlocking-ne...
Look what arrived today in the mail! Can't wait to read this brilliant book by the great @drkatemarvel.bsky.social! Buy your copy today.
bookshop.org/p/books/huma...
bookshop.org/p/books/huma...
June 18, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Look what arrived today in the mail! Can't wait to read this brilliant book by the great @drkatemarvel.bsky.social! Buy your copy today.
bookshop.org/p/books/huma...
bookshop.org/p/books/huma...
The bill screws over clean manufacturing, which has overwhelmingly benefited Republican districts. Again, it contains vague language that will create red tap for projects.
Republicans create tariffs, claim they want American manufacturing jobs, and then propose to kill jobs in their own districts.
Republicans create tariffs, claim they want American manufacturing jobs, and then propose to kill jobs in their own districts.
June 16, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The bill screws over clean manufacturing, which has overwhelmingly benefited Republican districts. Again, it contains vague language that will create red tap for projects.
Republicans create tariffs, claim they want American manufacturing jobs, and then propose to kill jobs in their own districts.
Republicans create tariffs, claim they want American manufacturing jobs, and then propose to kill jobs in their own districts.
The bill screws over large-scale solar and battery projects, which will jack up energy bills. It phases out the tax credit rapidly starting next year and maintains terrible, unclear language, which will create red tape for projects.
Notably, 90% of new capacity last year was SOLAR + BATTERIES.
Notably, 90% of new capacity last year was SOLAR + BATTERIES.
June 16, 2025 at 9:46 PM
The bill screws over large-scale solar and battery projects, which will jack up energy bills. It phases out the tax credit rapidly starting next year and maintains terrible, unclear language, which will create red tape for projects.
Notably, 90% of new capacity last year was SOLAR + BATTERIES.
Notably, 90% of new capacity last year was SOLAR + BATTERIES.
The Republican Senate bill will jack up energy prices by making it more expensive for everyday Americans to install heat pumps and put solar on their roof — which both lower energy bills.
Notably, Senator Collins used the home efficiency credit HERSELF. But I guess she doesn't want other people to.
Notably, Senator Collins used the home efficiency credit HERSELF. But I guess she doesn't want other people to.
June 16, 2025 at 9:46 PM
The Republican Senate bill will jack up energy prices by making it more expensive for everyday Americans to install heat pumps and put solar on their roof — which both lower energy bills.
Notably, Senator Collins used the home efficiency credit HERSELF. But I guess she doesn't want other people to.
Notably, Senator Collins used the home efficiency credit HERSELF. But I guess she doesn't want other people to.
This is downtown Santa Barbara right now. The No Kings protest stretches for over a mile along the water. The cars who drive by are all honking in support. Probably the biggest protest this community has ever seen.
June 14, 2025 at 6:17 PM
This is downtown Santa Barbara right now. The No Kings protest stretches for over a mile along the water. The cars who drive by are all honking in support. Probably the biggest protest this community has ever seen.
The future of our planet is on the chopping block. But the fight isn’t over. Join us TONIGHT, June 9th at 5 pm PT/ 8 pm ET for a virtual rally to say NO to Trump’s destructive environmental bill that threatens our health, our communities, and our planet.
Join us ⤵️
actionnetwork.org/events/stand...
Join us ⤵️
actionnetwork.org/events/stand...
June 9, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The future of our planet is on the chopping block. But the fight isn’t over. Join us TONIGHT, June 9th at 5 pm PT/ 8 pm ET for a virtual rally to say NO to Trump’s destructive environmental bill that threatens our health, our communities, and our planet.
Join us ⤵️
actionnetwork.org/events/stand...
Join us ⤵️
actionnetwork.org/events/stand...
Trump's economic suicide is screwing over all sectors of the economy — including the fossil fuel industry. So much for "energy dominance" and "drill baby drill." This man may just bankrupt some oil companies. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/b...
April 8, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Trump's economic suicide is screwing over all sectors of the economy — including the fossil fuel industry. So much for "energy dominance" and "drill baby drill." This man may just bankrupt some oil companies. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/b...
New episode of A Matter of Degrees! We talked with @cadavejones.bsky.social a former Insurance Commissioner about the LA fires. The climate crisis is breaking our insurance system -- but we fix it. Tune in and subscribe! degreespod.com/episodes/climate-crisis-breaking-insurance
April 4, 2025 at 3:52 PM
New episode of A Matter of Degrees! We talked with @cadavejones.bsky.social a former Insurance Commissioner about the LA fires. The climate crisis is breaking our insurance system -- but we fix it. Tune in and subscribe! degreespod.com/episodes/climate-crisis-breaking-insurance
The news getting you down? I invite you to stare at this chart of solar and wind deployed capacity in China.
They blew past their ambitious 2030 target... last July.
They blew past their ambitious 2030 target... last July.
February 4, 2025 at 10:44 PM
The news getting you down? I invite you to stare at this chart of solar and wind deployed capacity in China.
They blew past their ambitious 2030 target... last July.
They blew past their ambitious 2030 target... last July.
Cutting off Medicaid, cutting off heating for poor people in the deep of winter, cutting off states from disaster assistance — including Republican states. What Trump is doing is unconstitutional and illegal.
Perhaps Justice Scalia said it best when Nixon did the same thing.
Perhaps Justice Scalia said it best when Nixon did the same thing.
January 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Cutting off Medicaid, cutting off heating for poor people in the deep of winter, cutting off states from disaster assistance — including Republican states. What Trump is doing is unconstitutional and illegal.
Perhaps Justice Scalia said it best when Nixon did the same thing.
Perhaps Justice Scalia said it best when Nixon did the same thing.
Trump’s attacks on the clean energy industry are going to hurt GOP communities the most, because around three-quarters of these investments are flowing to Republican districts. I went on @cnn.com this week to discuss.
January 24, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Trump’s attacks on the clean energy industry are going to hurt GOP communities the most, because around three-quarters of these investments are flowing to Republican districts. I went on @cnn.com this week to discuss.
This week, we are sharing a special bonus episode on A Matter of Degrees from Boiling Point, a new podcast from the @latimes.com & hosted by @sammyroth.bsky.social.
This episode is about the recent wildfires in LA & what they mean for the city’s future: degreespod.com/episodes/bonus-boiling-point.
This episode is about the recent wildfires in LA & what they mean for the city’s future: degreespod.com/episodes/bonus-boiling-point.
January 23, 2025 at 10:53 PM
This week, we are sharing a special bonus episode on A Matter of Degrees from Boiling Point, a new podcast from the @latimes.com & hosted by @sammyroth.bsky.social.
This episode is about the recent wildfires in LA & what they mean for the city’s future: degreespod.com/episodes/bonus-boiling-point.
This episode is about the recent wildfires in LA & what they mean for the city’s future: degreespod.com/episodes/bonus-boiling-point.
It's official: I'm writing a book. Should be out early fall 2026. Thrilled to be working with MIT Press.
January 15, 2025 at 6:07 PM
It's official: I'm writing a book. Should be out early fall 2026. Thrilled to be working with MIT Press.
Who is responsible for these climate disasters, like the devastating fires in LA? It's fossil fuel companies who lied about climate change for decades. They should be paying for the damages, as New York and Vermont will soon require. I talked about this on @democracynow.org this morning.
January 13, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Who is responsible for these climate disasters, like the devastating fires in LA? It's fossil fuel companies who lied about climate change for decades. They should be paying for the damages, as New York and Vermont will soon require. I talked about this on @democracynow.org this morning.
These devastating fires in LA are climate change in action. More than 80% of the county is under drought, and when hurricane force winds hit dry land, they ignite. As @katharinehayhoe.com says, we are experiencing global weirding.
January 9, 2025 at 8:26 PM
These devastating fires in LA are climate change in action. More than 80% of the county is under drought, and when hurricane force winds hit dry land, they ignite. As @katharinehayhoe.com says, we are experiencing global weirding.
Cannot stop thinking about how Octavia Butler wrote a book in 1993 about climate change. It opens with deadly fires in LA in 2025. In the story, a fascist President has just won office with the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
January 9, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Cannot stop thinking about how Octavia Butler wrote a book in 1993 about climate change. It opens with deadly fires in LA in 2025. In the story, a fascist President has just won office with the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
The fires in Los Angeles County are climate change in action. Today, I spoke with BBC News about how drought is causing devastating impacts in what should be the rainy season. Thanks to climate change, the fire season in California is now year round.
January 9, 2025 at 2:19 AM
The fires in Los Angeles County are climate change in action. Today, I spoke with BBC News about how drought is causing devastating impacts in what should be the rainy season. Thanks to climate change, the fire season in California is now year round.