(a) (1) Subject to the availability of private funds provided for purposes of this article, the Regents of the University of California may establish 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.
(2) The institute shall work closely with 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 will, to the extent possible, 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.
(G) The Department of Food and Agriculture.
(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.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 227, Sec. 1. (AB 39) Effective January 1, 2022.)