VX News is the editorial voice of the annual VerdeXchange Conference, featuring in-depth interviews with industry leaders and policymakers driving innovation in clean energy, water, transportation, and climate policy.
California’s Next Power Play - Transmission & Renewable Energy Markets
At the Los Angeles Business Council’s Sustainability Summit, former LA Times climate columnist Sammy Roth led a wide-ranging discussion with CAISO CEO Elliot Mainzer, SCE’s Mike Backstrom, and developers from AES, EDF, Southwestern Power Group, and Vineyard Offshore on how California will build the grid a clean economy requires.
David Nahai: Water Contamination, Climate Resilience, and Regional Leadership
Recently reappointed by Governor Gavin Newsom and confirmed by the California Senate, David Nahai is serving a fifth term as Chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. In conversation with VX News, Nahai outlines the Board’s top priorities amid recent and converging climate threats, including wastewater recycling, stormwater capture, aquifer remediation, and a more integrated embrace of the One Water framework.
Launching California’s Climate Bond – What’s Next?
VX News presents an excerpted webinar hosted by Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency (CRNA), where he discusses the implementation of Proposition 4 and specific programs it will support with a variety of key agency leaders, including Lauren Sanchez, the recently appointed Chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Jim Wunderman on Regional Stewardship to Statewide Coalition Building
Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman discusses the politics of state-led housing reform, discusses California’s approach to interim and long-term housing, and the new San Francisco mayoral leadership restoring public confidence and advancing pragmatic reforms.
Sir Andrew Steer on Catalyzing Climate Finance — Net Zero Delivery Summit
At the Net Zero Delivery Summit, Sir Andrew Steer emphasized the new economics of climate change, arguing that it is no longer just an environmental issue but a growth opportunity for the 21st century. He stated that bold action can drive economic efficiency, new technologies, and lower risks. Steer also highlighted the critical role of the private sector and the need for transition finance to help industries decarbonize. He stressed the importance of balancing a sense of "fear and dread" with "hope and possibility" to motivate action, and urged for a shift away from disagreements and towards building broad public support for the transition.
Scientists Rebuke U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Climate Report as Flawed and Misleading
Following the release of a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report that downplayed the risks of climate change, over 85 scientists quickly issued a 439-page rebuttal. The scientists' report and a separate fact-check by Carbon Brief both found the DOE report to be misleading and fundamentally incorrect, particularly its claims about drought and wildfires, which directly conflict with scientific evidence and real-world impacts in places like California.
Mark Gold Named CalCOFI’s New Director By Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Mark Gold has been named the new director of the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) program. Gold's focus will be on strengthening the program's partnerships to overcome challenges like reduced federal funding. He plans to leverage CalCOFI's extensive data to address the impacts of climate change, offshore wind development, and coastal pollution on the marine environment.
Outgoing CARB Chair Liane Randolph on Legacy, Leadership, and the Reauthorization of ‘Cap-and-Invest’
Outgoing CARB Chair Liane Randolph reflects on key climate and air quality accomplishments during her tenure, emphasizes the importance of defending state authority amid federal rollbacks, and the need for fresh leadership paired with experience.