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AB-2585 California-China Climate Institute.(2019-2020)

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Date Published: 04/29/2020 09:00 PM
AB2585:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  May 04, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2585

Introduced by Assembly Member Chau

February 20, 2020

An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 92687) to Chapter 6 of Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to climate change.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2585, as amended, Chau. California-China Climate Institute.
Existing law establishes the University of California as a public trust under the administration of the Regents of the University of California. The University of California provides instruction and performs research at the 10 campuses it operates and maintains in Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz.
This bill would establish the California-China Climate Institute, housed at the University of California, Berkeley, as specified, and in partnership with the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University and other entities and institutions in China and California. The bill would require the institute to foster collaboration to inform and shape climate policy and advance the goals of the Paris Agreement, advance joint policy research on major climate issues, support high-level dialogue on specific climate issues, and provide training to specified entities to advance climate and environmental policies. The bill would require the institute to work closely with other University of California campuses, departments, and leaders, and would authorize the institute to receive guidance and support from experts and state entities.

Existing law establishes the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. These segments include the California State University, the campuses of which are administered by the Trustees of the California State University, the University of California, which is administered by the Regents of the University of California, and the California Community Colleges, which are administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish the California-China Climate Institute to be located at the University of California at Berkeley.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Article 8 (commencing with Section 92687) is added to Chapter 6 of Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:
Article  8. California-China Climate Institute

92687.
 (a) (1) The California-China Climate Institute, a University of California-wide initiative to accelerate climate action through cooperative efforts and exchange between two of the world’s largest economic powers, is hereby established.
(2) The institute, launched in the fall of 2019, shall be housed at the University of California Berkeley, School of Law and College of Natural Resources, and shall work closely with other University of California campuses, departments, and leaders to accomplish its work.
(3) The institute shall operate in partnership with the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University and other entities and institutions in China and California.
(4) The institute shall receive guidance and support from expert policy, government, business, academic, and climate leaders and advisory committees, including, but not necessarily limited to, the following state entities:
(A) The California State Assembly.
(B) The California State Senate.
(C) The office of the Governor.
(D) The California Environmental Protection Agency.
(E) The Natural Resources Agency.
(F) The University of California.
(b) The duties of the institute shall include all of the following:
(1) Fostering collaboration among government, business, academic institutions, and civil society to inform and shape national and subnational climate policy and advance the goals of the Paris Agreement.
(2) Advancing joint policy research on major climate issues, including, but not necessarily limited to, all of the following:
(A) Low-carbon transportation and zero emission vehicles.
(B) Carbon pricing.
(C) Climate adaptation and resilience.
(D) Sustainable land use and climate-smart agriculture.
(E) Carbon capture and storage.
(F) Long term climate goal–setting and policy enforcement.
(3) Supporting high-level subnational climate dialogue between top government, business, and climate leaders from throughout the United States and China with respect to climate policy, investment, and finance.
(4) Providing training to Californian and Chinese researchers, scientists, technical experts, policymakers, and other leaders to advance critical climate and environmental policies, including, but not necessarily limited to, air quality, carbon pricing, carbon emissions, clean energy, and innovation.

SECTION 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish the California-China Climate Institute to be located at the University of California at Berkeley.