The initiative addresses inequalities faced by the disadvantaged communities that have suffered disproportionately from the health effects of pollution.
The California Climate Expedition — led by climate scientist Alex Hall — grants riders the chance to experience climate change impacts from Oakland to Los Angeles.
The trend places additional stress on wildlife ecosystems and resources that the approximately 24 million people living in Southern California need to survive.
Low-income and minority students are particularly affected, and the problem stands to worsen as global temperatures rise, according to public policy researcher Jisung Park.
Researchers at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability predict the state will experience dramatic shifts between extreme dry and extreme wet weather by end of 21st century.
“It’s critical to educate the next generation of scientists to understand how and why our climate is changing, and what measures must be taken to adapt,” said professor Alex Hall.