Leah C. Stokes
Anton Vonk Associate Professor of Environmental Politics, University of California, Santa Barbara
Areas of Expertise:
About Leah
Stokes researches public policy and environmental politics, with a focus on environmental and energy policies in the United States and Canada. She has examined renewable energy policies at the state and local level and is particularly interested in how these policies are implemented. She has also researched several international environmental negotiations, particularly the recently finalized Minamata Convention on mercury pollution.
Contributions
No Jargon Podcast
In the News
"Before We Invest Billions in This Clean Fuel, Let’s Make Sure It’s Actually Clean," Leah C. Stokes, Opinion, The New York Times, April 14, 2023.
"The Infrastructure Bill Won’t Cut It on Climate," Leah C. Stokes, Ideas, The Atlantic, July 14, 2021.
Leah C. Stokes quoted on potential of Biden to combat climate change in office by Geoff Dembicki, "Climate Activists Want to Mold Biden Into the President They Need" VICE News, March 16, 2020.
Leah C. Stokes quoted on the efficacy of Biden's climate plan by Geoff Dembicki, "Climate Activists Want to Mold Biden Into the President They Need" VICE, March 16, 2020.
Leah C. Stokes quoted on trends in renewable energy by Silvio Marcacci, "Five 2020 Energy Predictions" Forbes, January 13, 2020.
Leah C. Stokes quoted on public action on climate change by Silvio Marcacci, "Five 2020 Energy Predictions: Solar Surge, Coal Crash, Gas Exorcism, Clean Energy Incentives, Public Mobilization" Forbes
Guest to discuss popularity of Green New Deal among voters on The Interchange, Greentech Media, Leah C. Stokes, July 15, 2019.
"Can the Green New Deal Make it through Congress? Here are Five Things you Need to Know," Leah C. Stokes, The Washington Post, February 21, 2019.
"Climate Change is Behind the Global Heat Wave. Why Won't the Media Say It?," Leah C. Stokes, Los Angeles Times, July 15, 2018.
Leah C. Stokes quoted on tax and cap climate policies by David Roberts, "The Political Hurdles Facing a Carbon Tax - and How to Overcome Them" Vox, April 26, 2016.
Publications
"The Power of Collaboration: Engaging All Parties in Renewable Energy Infrastructure Development" (with ). IEEE Power & Energy Magazine 11, no. 3 (2013): 56-65.
Discusses alternative approaches to engaging communities in renewable energy project siting, including joint fact-finding, public workshops and deliberative opinion polling.
"Beyond the Information Campaign: Community-Based Energy Behavioral Change at the University of Toronto" (with ). Environmental Practice 15, no. 2 (2013): 147-155.
Suggests best practices for environmental behavior-change campaigns in large institutional settings.
"The Politics of Renewable Energy Policies: The Case of Feed-in Tariffs in Ontario, Canada" Energy Policy 56 (2013): 490-500.
Analyzes the politics of renewable energy policies, including cost, local acceptance, investor certainty and international competition for jobs.