Greg Pierce
@gregspierce.bsky.social
UCLA: Human Right to Water Solutions Lab, Luskin Center, Department of Urban Planning, Water Resources Group
Pinned
Greg Pierce
@gregspierce.bsky.social
· Mar 5
Out now! A Comment in Nature Water discusses major implications for water supply after the Los Angeles Fires
@gregspierce.bsky.social l @edithdeguzman.bsky.social @mullinmeg.bsky.social
👇
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
@gregspierce.bsky.social l @edithdeguzman.bsky.social @mullinmeg.bsky.social
👇
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Redefining expectations for urban water supply systems to fight wildfires - Nature Water
Three major implications stemming from the water supply narratives around the Los Angeles fires have emerged: the need for greater infrastructure resilience, considering the uneven costs of new expect...
www.nature.com
Our Nature Water comment “Redefining expectations for urban water supply systems to fight wildfire” is out ⬇️.
I started working on this w/ @edithdeguzman.bsky.social and @mullinmeg.bsky.social 10 days after the fires started.
We lay out 3 major implications from the fires for water supply systems
I started working on this w/ @edithdeguzman.bsky.social and @mullinmeg.bsky.social 10 days after the fires started.
We lay out 3 major implications from the fires for water supply systems
Things I didn’t have on my bingo card:
The power utility that caused the Eaton fire, by all accounts, blaming the water utilities in the area, when no evidence has shown they have neglected their duties or under-performed their abilities
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
The power utility that caused the Eaton fire, by all accounts, blaming the water utilities in the area, when no evidence has shown they have neglected their duties or under-performed their abilities
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
Edison sues L.A. County and other agencies, saying they share blame for Eaton fire deaths, destruction
Southern California Edison sued Los Angeles County, water agencies and two companies including SoCalGas on Friday, saying their mistakes contributed to the deadly and destructive toll of last year’s E...
www.latimes.com
January 17, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Things I didn’t have on my bingo card:
The power utility that caused the Eaton fire, by all accounts, blaming the water utilities in the area, when no evidence has shown they have neglected their duties or under-performed their abilities
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
The power utility that caused the Eaton fire, by all accounts, blaming the water utilities in the area, when no evidence has shown they have neglected their duties or under-performed their abilities
www.latimes.com/business/sto...
Reposted by Greg Pierce
Nobel Please Prize
January 15, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Nobel Please Prize
Reposted by Greg Pierce
The total NSF budget was 9 billion. I doubt they spend 89% of it on quail.
January 15, 2026 at 9:21 PM
The total NSF budget was 9 billion. I doubt they spend 89% of it on quail.
Nice story by @apnews.com on the prospect of deep-sea desalination.
There is unique openness so far in the environmental community regarding OceanWell.
My take is the make-or-break will be the unit cost, which we won't know until further into implementation.
apnews.com/article/clim...
There is unique openness so far in the environmental community regarding OceanWell.
My take is the make-or-break will be the unit cost, which we won't know until further into implementation.
apnews.com/article/clim...
In a warming world, freshwater production is moving deep beneath the sea
Climate change is driving a global boom in desalination as regions turn to the sea for drinking water.
apnews.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Nice story by @apnews.com on the prospect of deep-sea desalination.
There is unique openness so far in the environmental community regarding OceanWell.
My take is the make-or-break will be the unit cost, which we won't know until further into implementation.
apnews.com/article/clim...
There is unique openness so far in the environmental community regarding OceanWell.
My take is the make-or-break will be the unit cost, which we won't know until further into implementation.
apnews.com/article/clim...
Reposted by Greg Pierce
Fascinating paper that shows using in science has created a massive collective action problem. Using AI enhances individual careers, but reduces scope of science and collaborations. So the individual incentives are reducing the collective good of scientific knowledge. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
January 14, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Fascinating paper that shows using in science has created a massive collective action problem. Using AI enhances individual careers, but reduces scope of science and collaborations. So the individual incentives are reducing the collective good of scientific knowledge. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Greg Pierce
NEW INVESTIGATION
California predicts data centers will consume as much power as adding another LA to grid by 2030
A utility anticipates additional emissions equal to 21 gas plants
Some environmentalists see reducing gas power as “a lot less likely” due to AI capitalandmain.com/the-insatiab...
California predicts data centers will consume as much power as adding another LA to grid by 2030
A utility anticipates additional emissions equal to 21 gas plants
Some environmentalists see reducing gas power as “a lot less likely” due to AI capitalandmain.com/the-insatiab...
The Insatiable Energy Demands of Data Centers Could Increase Fossil Fuel Emissions in California
By 2030, the centers could consume the equivalent of adding another city the size of L.A. to the state’s power grid.
capitalandmain.com
October 2, 2025 at 3:25 PM
NEW INVESTIGATION
California predicts data centers will consume as much power as adding another LA to grid by 2030
A utility anticipates additional emissions equal to 21 gas plants
Some environmentalists see reducing gas power as “a lot less likely” due to AI capitalandmain.com/the-insatiab...
California predicts data centers will consume as much power as adding another LA to grid by 2030
A utility anticipates additional emissions equal to 21 gas plants
Some environmentalists see reducing gas power as “a lot less likely” due to AI capitalandmain.com/the-insatiab...
Reposted by Greg Pierce
Oh man, this is awful, and the last thing Clear Lake needs.
The city of Clearlake has declared a local emergency in response to a massive ongoing sewage spill that began on Sunday due to a failure in the county-managed wastewater system. #cawater lakeconews.com/news/83518-c...
lakeconews.com
January 14, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Oh man, this is awful, and the last thing Clear Lake needs.
Reposted by Greg Pierce
California has been drafting various policies to accelerate its transition away from gas. A series from the @uclalawemmett.bsky.social provides on legal insights for this gas transition. legal-planet.org/2026/01/14/c...
Crafting a Roadmap for Zonal Decarbonization in California - Legal Planet
A new series of briefs from the UCLA Emmett Institute offers legal insights for the gas transition. First up: SB 1221.
legal-planet.org
January 14, 2026 at 5:47 PM
California has been drafting various policies to accelerate its transition away from gas. A series from the @uclalawemmett.bsky.social provides on legal insights for this gas transition. legal-planet.org/2026/01/14/c...
Reposted by Greg Pierce
First, that older mobile homes are the most at-risk, that new manufactured homes benefit from energy efficiency, and that the tradeoff between affordability and resiliency is a myth that needs busting.
January 14, 2026 at 4:51 PM
First, that older mobile homes are the most at-risk, that new manufactured homes benefit from energy efficiency, and that the tradeoff between affordability and resiliency is a myth that needs busting.
Reposted by Greg Pierce
Reposted by Greg Pierce
why I have trust issues
January 13, 2026 at 7:22 PM
why I have trust issues
Reposted by Greg Pierce
Please do use this worksheet that we labored over for quite some time, and even tested with users! It’s a good starting point for thinking about specific wildfire-related interventions that water systems can undertake (figure alt text in responses)
@edithdeguzman.bsky.social, @fkearns.bsky.social and I came up with a "menu" that is included as a worksheet in the appendix to our "Water Systems’ Wildfire Fighting Capacities and Expectations" report released last week.
January 13, 2026 at 12:58 AM
Please do use this worksheet that we labored over for quite some time, and even tested with users! It’s a good starting point for thinking about specific wildfire-related interventions that water systems can undertake (figure alt text in responses)
@edithdeguzman.bsky.social, @fkearns.bsky.social and I came up with a "menu" that is included as a worksheet in the appendix to our "Water Systems’ Wildfire Fighting Capacities and Expectations" report released last week.
January 12, 2026 at 10:43 PM
@edithdeguzman.bsky.social, @fkearns.bsky.social and I came up with a "menu" that is included as a worksheet in the appendix to our "Water Systems’ Wildfire Fighting Capacities and Expectations" report released last week.
I did not like reading this, but I did agree with it.
The Palisades fire "wasn't some 'storm of the century.' And it wasn't climate change, and don't let anybody try to tell you otherwise."
Not Donald Trump. Not a Republican, even. The LA city councilmember for the Palisades.
My column on what it means: www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/la-fires-t...
Not Donald Trump. Not a Republican, even. The LA city councilmember for the Palisades.
My column on what it means: www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/la-fires-t...
I was right. The L.A. fires changed nothing
A year after Altadena and Pacific Palisades burned, "climate change" has exited the chat.
www.climatecoloredgoggles.com
January 12, 2026 at 9:44 PM
I did not like reading this, but I did agree with it.
Can confirm. See below
Mobile homes already have huge utility bills. Congress may make it worse.
Mobile homes already have huge utility bills. Congress may make it worse.
With latest vote, legislators may end up making mobile homes even less energy efficient.
dlvr.it
January 12, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Can confirm. See below
Reposted by Greg Pierce
I’m delighted to be working with colleagues and a former student from Sri Lanka on karst aquifers in the Jaffna Peninsula, which are vital for development yet increasingly threatened by saltwater intrusion and anthropogenic pressures.
Photo: Nilavarai Well, exposing a limestone cavern.
Photo: Nilavarai Well, exposing a limestone cavern.
January 11, 2026 at 7:56 PM
I’m delighted to be working with colleagues and a former student from Sri Lanka on karst aquifers in the Jaffna Peninsula, which are vital for development yet increasingly threatened by saltwater intrusion and anthropogenic pressures.
Photo: Nilavarai Well, exposing a limestone cavern.
Photo: Nilavarai Well, exposing a limestone cavern.
Reposted by Greg Pierce
wait until you hear about the united states bro
January 9, 2026 at 9:09 PM
wait until you hear about the united states bro
Reposted by Greg Pierce
Chevron & Exxon may spend $10 bn/yr just to revitalize Venezuela’s oil. Compare that to their global spend on “low-carbon solutions” of $4 bn/year.
Simplifying a bit, but the reality is this: money spent on expanding oil is money directly not spent on decarbonization.
My thoughts for @apnews.com
Simplifying a bit, but the reality is this: money spent on expanding oil is money directly not spent on decarbonization.
My thoughts for @apnews.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Chevron & Exxon may spend $10 bn/yr just to revitalize Venezuela’s oil. Compare that to their global spend on “low-carbon solutions” of $4 bn/year.
Simplifying a bit, but the reality is this: money spent on expanding oil is money directly not spent on decarbonization.
My thoughts for @apnews.com
Simplifying a bit, but the reality is this: money spent on expanding oil is money directly not spent on decarbonization.
My thoughts for @apnews.com
Hey look a sanitation issue in a MHP that got undercut by federal gutting.
See Mike Phillis 2 recent AP stories on the sanitation and MHP water angles below.
See Mike Phillis 2 recent AP stories on the sanitation and MHP water angles below.
The impact of reducing hazard mitigation funding for high-priority projects...this manufactured home community was meant to acquired using BRIC funding, but canceled earlier in 2025. Now it has flooded with severe impacts to housing and onsite sewerage:
www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/a...
www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/a...
Trump cut money to relocate folks from this mobile home park. Then it flooded
Pierce County residents at this site had the worst flood in nearly 20 years eight months after Trump cut FEMA funding to relocate them.
www.thenewstribune.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Hey look a sanitation issue in a MHP that got undercut by federal gutting.
See Mike Phillis 2 recent AP stories on the sanitation and MHP water angles below.
See Mike Phillis 2 recent AP stories on the sanitation and MHP water angles below.
Reposted by Greg Pierce
Cutting emergency response funding at a time of worsening climate crises sets us up for disaster.
‘The perfect storm’: Trump has left the US less prepared for natural disasters, experts say
Emergency managers say the US president has presided over a dangerous erosion in US capacity to prepare for and respond
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Cutting emergency response funding at a time of worsening climate crises sets us up for disaster.
Reposted by Greg Pierce
How Chevron played the long game in Venezuela
How Chevron played the long game in Venezuela
Chevron met with Trump and spent millions lobbying him to let it continue operating in Venezuela. Now it is uniquely positioned to profit from the country’s vast oil reserves.
dlvr.it
January 9, 2026 at 6:03 PM
How Chevron played the long game in Venezuela
Important sanitation equity story by @apnews.com drawing on insights from @vedachalam.bsky.social
apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com/article/trum...
Poor communities threatened by aging sewers see crucial aid slashed under Trump
Deep funding cuts under President Donald Trump will make it more difficult for struggling communities to get help to fix sewer systems that put health and homes at risk.
apnews.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Important sanitation equity story by @apnews.com drawing on insights from @vedachalam.bsky.social
apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Greg Pierce
This is not the law.
January 8, 2026 at 6:59 PM
This is not the law.