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California and Africa have set the blueprint for a new model of international climate cooperation—a unique climate and economic partnership with Kenya and Nigeria delivering policy certainty, affordable technology and unlocking catalytic capital.

A global second-hand vehicle market, largely invisible to many people in the US, affects the economy, transportation, public health, and environment in the countries where the vehicles end up and their countries of origin. As increasing numbers of exported, used vehicles are hybrid and electric, their operation in importing countries can help reduce local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the disposal and recycling of spent batteries pose significant risks, particularly in regions that lack the infrastructure needed for safe handling.

NAIROBI, KENYA — UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May led a delegation to Kenya this week to advance a landmark partnership between the State of California and the Government of Kenya focused on climate action, clean transportation, climate smart agriculture, public health and innovation. Chancellor May was joined by Samuel Assefa, Director of the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation as well as several university representatives.

Building on the historic engagement earlier this year between Kenya and California, on September 24, California Governor Gavin Newsom and H.E. President William Ruto of Kenya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to deepen cooperation on cutting pollution, advancing clean energy, and strengthening trade. The UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS-Davis) has been—and will continue to be—instrumental to these efforts, serving as the Secretariat for this partnership.

As part of its growing international presence, the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS-Davis) joined a California delegation to Kenya and Nigeria last month to advance climate action, trade, and university partnerships.

The North American automotive industry is undergoing a transformation driven by the electric vehicle (EV) transition, post-pandemic supply chain shifts, and increasing US protectionism. As the largest vehicle supplier to the US, Mexico faces both opportunities and risks in this evolving landscape. With 42% of its passenger vehicle production tied to US automakers and nearly 70% of its total output destined for the US, Mexico’s automotive industry is particularly vulnerable to the recently announced 25% tariffs on Mexican auto imports.

Graphite is carbon in its crystalline form. With its distinctive electrochemical properties, it forms anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), ensuring that they have stable charge and discharge cycles. Globally, as countries rely increasingly on electric power, the demand for LIBs—and therefore graphite—will be driven by both in-vehicle batteries and stationary energy storage. As nations choose where to invest, care must be taken to ensure that negative social and environmental impacts are avoided and that geopolitical concerns are carefully managed.

The India Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Research Centre at the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis signed an MoU with the Government of Telangana on 22 May, 2023 in San Francisco, California. The MoU will support the Telangana state government’s vision of providing its people with cost effective and environmentally sustainable mobility options with an aim to drive economic growth.