What do a cup of chai, a lecture exploring recycling and climate politics, and jet fuel have in common? Each is a different way that Rausser College students, faculty, and alumni are participating in SF Climate Week 2026.
Since 2023, SF Climate Week has brought together people and organizations from San Francisco and the Bay Area through a weeklong conference—similar to the long-running Climate Week NYC. Now in its fourth year, SF Climate Week has grown into California’s largest climate summit: over 25,000 people attended last year, and more than 60,000 people have registered for events scheduled from April 18 through 26.
New to SF Climate Week is Solutions House San Francisco, which will bring together academics, climate innovators, nonprofit organizations, and public- and private-sector sustainability leaders for a full day of programming focused on real-world climate solutions at the global and local scale. Presented in partnership between Rausser College’s Master of Climate Solutions (MCS) program and change agency Futerra, the April 22 event marks the first time a Solutions House has been held on the West Coast.
“The Bay Area is a hub where climate technology, business, and culture converge,” said David Fiss, associate director of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement for the MCS. “Partnering with Futerra to bring Solutions House to San Francisco gives our students a chance to get in front of climate leaders and show that they're not just studying solutions—they're building them.”
As part of the Solutions House programming, Sharmila Singh, director of career services for the MCS, will moderate a panel showcasing tangible, outcomes-based climate solutions developed by MCS students. Each solution was collaboratively developed with industry partners and offers lessons in problem-solving across areas such as sustainable food systems, corporate strategy, and value chain transformation.
Student panelists Ava Barnett, Zoe Hall, and Effie Angus will be joined by leaders from Patagonia Provisions, the outdoor retailer’s sustainable food division, and Symbiosis Coalition, which evaluates nature-based carbon-removal projects and is backed by Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Barnett is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef who focuses on integrating regenerative agriculture into regional supply chains. Hall, who has a background in ecology, studies how capital can be deployed more effectively into credible climate solutions. Angus is interested in scaling regenerative and climate-smart agriculture solutions.
Melvyn Tan, who took a sabbatical from his job as a propulsion engineer with Airbus to complete the MCS, will join leaders from Alaska Airlines and Twelve, a Berkeley-based carbon transformation company, on a separate panel focused on next-generation aviation fuel as a climate solution. As an MCS student, Tan focuses on the green energy ecosystem and strategies to address the high upfront costs of sustainable aviation solutions.
Hall will also moderate a panel focused on how private companies can invest in nature to strengthen ecosystems and deliver climate impact, featuring leaders from the Biomimicry Institute, the CARE-WWF Alliance, and other organizations. Hall oversaw large-scale reforestation projects across the United States, Canada, and Mexico prior to entering the program, and also has experience as a wildland firefighter, ecological researcher, and outdoor educator.
Beyond the Solutions House, Rausser College faculty and alumni are featured at events spanning food, forestry, and public scholarship across the Bay Area. These include:
Pouring Possibili-Tea: Visions of a Regenerative Future
Oakland | April 18, 12 to 3 p.m. | Free (Registration Required)
Explore the cultural roots, global impact, and uncertain future of tea with Shreya Chaudhuri, BS ’25 Environmental Science, BA Geography. She will be pouring samples of tea from Bagaan Chai Co., her new direct-to-consumer tea company, which sources from Assam, the northeastern Indian state where her family has operated a tea farm for six generations.
30 Million Climate Heroes You’ve Never Heard Of
Oakland | April 20 at 7 p.m. | Tickets required
Kate O’Neill, professor of Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM), will explore how 30 million people make their living collecting, sorting, and recycling what we throw away. Her lecture will highlight how waste pickers help combat climate impacts through their labor, but are also among the most vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
The Weather To Come: Forest, City, Fire, Cloud
Baur Wuster Hall, UC Berkeley | Now through Apr 21, 2026 | Free
Research from Paul Mayencourt, professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management and College of Environmental Design, and Architecture Professor Liz Gálvez is featured in this exhibition that highlights projects aimed at generating actionable solutions and engaging communities affected by climate change.
Forest Innovation Summit 2026
Berkeley | April 21 - 22 | One or Two-Day tickets required
Global leaders, practitioners, researchers, investors, and policymakers will gather at UC Berkeley’s Clark Kerr campus for a two-day summit focused on the fundamentals shaping the future of forest innovation. The event is presented in partnership with Berkeley Forests.
See a full listing of SF Climate Week events on the Climate Network website.
