Center for the Next Generation

In 2015, Next Generation's energy and climate program focused on moving California, the western region, and ultimately, the u.s., toward an equitable and prosperous low-carbon energy future. It worked to accomplish this goal in two ways: through national agenda-setting work that developed innovative rationales and strategies for immediate action on climate change; and,through strategic policy and communications engagement in California focused on elevating the California climate and energy story as a model for the western region and the nation.in 2014, the program developed and implemented new research and communications efforts, hired new staff, and announced new partnerships in both our California and national program areas.its national work is primarily focused on increasing understanding of u.s. Climate risk through the risky business project. Moving beyond debates about the science of global climate change and on to a more productive process of identifying risks and vulnerabilities, program staff armed american businesses with the information they needed to better incorporate climate risk into their organizational decision-making processes. In january, 2014, the full risk committee membership was announced. Since that time, the project elicited extensive media coverage in leading publications and outlets, and raised its organizational profile. Publicity included, most prominently, a front-page story in the new york times, as well as coverage in the Washington post, national public radio, politico, national journal, thinkprogress, energy & environment publishing, and bloomberg markets. the uk's financial times editorial board reviewed the project, lauding it as "ambitious and "impressive", and urging further research to build on its foundation. the public release of the risky business report results occurred in june, 2014, with launch events in new york and Washington, d.c. project staff participated in high-profile events and private meetings with valuable stakeholders across the country, and had a full slate of events through june. the redesigned risky business project website featured a variety of content and updates about the project leading up to the june 24, 2014 launch.during fall, 2014, a series of state-specific fact sheets was developed highlighting the most severe risks and impacts in several states. the first two fact sheets focused on Texas and Florida. Reports on the midwest and California were also initiated in 2014.the program's research team actively briefed leaders in the academic fields of climate impact and econometric modeling, giving presentations for faculty at rutgers university and the university of California, berkeley, among others.the energy and climate program's California work has been primarily focused on the implementation of proposition 39, the clean energy jobs act of 2012; promoting solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and increase financial stability in low-income and disadvantaged communities in California's central valley; researching and educating the public about California's new regulations on fracking and other well stimulation treatments such as acidizing, particularly as they concern our precious water resources; and providing communications support for ab 32, the global warming solutions act of 2006, in the face of escalating political turbulence. Online visibility through the California energy and climate news service also increased significantly, earning media coverage on all of our respective issue areas.

Next Generation's communications team works to translate sound policy research into clear, concise communications and messages that will reach and resonate with policymakers, the general public and key stakeholders. Through a combination of targeted online communications, traditional media activities, and social media campaigns, the communications team supports the policy and research activities of Next Generation's energy and climate and children and families teams with robust communications and messaging strategies.

the children and families program at Next Generation promotes public, private, and personal actions to improve the prospects of america's Next Generation. Our current work is focused in two areas:too small to fail - Next Generation has joined forces with the bill, hillary & chelsea clinton foundation to launch too small to fail, an initiative to improve the health and well-being of children ages birth to five.now in its fourth year, too small to fail aims to help parents, caregivers and the private-sector take meaningful actions to improve the health and well-being of children ages zero to five, so that more of america's children are prepared to succeed in the 21st century.next Generation is working to promote new research on the science of children's brain development, early learning and early health, and we will help parents, businesses and communities identify specific actions, consistent with the new research, that they can take to improve the lives of young children. Too small to fail's current partnerships with univision, the george kaiser family foundation, ucsf benioff children's hospitals, first5 California, zero to three and others will help deliver on this promise.as we secure further commitments to action, we will use social media and innovative community-focused approaches to inform and empower parents and business leaders to track their progress and replicate their success.california leading - California - with all of its diversity, particularly among our children - offers both the richness and challenges that the rest of america will soon experience. Our work in California is focused in two areas:early education and child developmentas we focus on the well-being and healthy development of children at the national level with too small to fail, Next Generation mirrors this focus in California. By leveraging strategic communications and statewide partners on issues related to early childhood education, home visiting programs, and quality improvement projects, we can lead a substantive public policy conversation in California that supports early investments in evidence-based child development programs. Family supportcalifornia leads the nation in terms of public policies designed to protect the health, productivity, and income of workers and their families. This is why Next Generation has joined with the California work & family coalition to help improve current policies - such as paid family and pregnancy disability leave - and build new protections - including paid sick days and the "right to request" a flexible schedule at work. As research confirms, such policies even have a beneficial impact on young children by providing parents time, flexibility, and resources to be there for their families.