Location: California

This report looks at this process of power building for just transition in four states: California, Kentucky, Louisiana, and New York. We combine an analysis of the pillars of just transition – strong governmental support, dedicated funding streams, diverse coalitions, and economic diversification – with an analysis of how to change power at a state level that focuses on the conditions that impact possibilities, the community-level capabilities that facilitate effective voice, and the arenas in which power is contested.

Convenient at-home charging options and financial incentives are key for encouraging plug-in electric vehicle owners to continue to purchase them. Using survey data from 2015-2019 in California, the authors find that approximately 1 in 5 electric vehicle owners do not purchase an electric vehicle on their next vehicle purchase. Dissatisfaction with home-charging options is the strongest factor determining electric vehicle discontinuance. Having more cars in your household also leads to discontinued electric vehicle use. Finally, those who discontinue electric vehicle use are more likely to say they would not purchase an electric vehicle without yearly incentives to do so.             

This interactive webinar covered the process of how this collaboration between environmental justice and labor forces was facilitated, how they built a shared vision around resilience, a rundown of the report’s key findings, and a guided activity for how to apply the report’s insights to participants’ local communities and organizing work.