Annual Report 2025
Climate progress in challenging times
Letter from CEO Ellie Cohen and Board Chair Lokelani Devone
Imagine a future in which California has transitioned away from dirty, deadly fossil fuels to a thriving economy powered by clean energy. A future in which our electricity is cheap, clean, and reliable. A future in which our food and farms are healthy and there is clean air and water for all. Imagine we heal nature — and ourselves — to leave a stable climate for our children and grandchildren.
We believe this vision of a more vibrant world is possible when we all work together. Thanks to your generosity, The Climate Center and our partners continue to prove that progress toward a climate-safe future is possible even in challenging times.
This year has been shaped by a confluence of hugely consequential events — the devastating LA fires, a new president hostile to science and democracy, rapidly rising electricity, grocery, and insurance bills, and the abrupt closure of two in-state oil refineries. These events have set the context for climate policy decision-makers in California, deterring them from passing bold climate policy and holding corporations accountable.
Against this backdrop, The Climate Center continued to remind decision-makers of what’s at stake — our health, our futures, and our environment — offering policy solutions to ensure California meets the climate crisis with the urgency that science demands.
This year, together with policymakers, partner organizations, scientists, business leaders, local governments, and activists, we:
- Expanded composting to draw down past climate pollution and cut methane emissions from landfills: Our co-sponsored bill, SB 279 (McNerney), was signed into law to significantly increase composting on farms and in communities. Applying compost builds healthy soils that sequester past climate pollution, enhance food security, replenish groundwater, support diverse wildlife, and reduce landfill waste.
- Reformed California’s signature climate program, Cap and Invest, to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions: We played a leadership role with legislators to improve and extend California’s Cap and Invest program (formerly “Cap and Trade”) through 2045. We also co-led the coalition that successfully secured nature-based climate solutions as the only new priority for future investment.
- Secured overwhelming, bipartisan support to scale up virtual power plants for affordable, reliable electricity: We co-sponsored AB 740 (Harabedian) to advance virtual power plants — networks of clean, local energy resources like smart thermostats, rooftop solar, and electric vehicles — that could save Californians billions of dollars on electricity bills. Despite Governor Newsom’s veto, we achieved an initial goal of educating and winning strong support from legislators.
- Advanced geothermal energy for clean, round-the-clock power: We helped pass AB 531 (Rogers), which will enable faster permitting for clean geothermal energy projects to help meet California’s growing electricity demand.
- Secured $3.4 billion for urgent investment in climate solutions: After working last year to pass the $10 billion climate bond overwhelmingly approved by voters in the 2024 election, we helped ensure that some Prop 4 dollars will be invested now in extreme heat solutions, wildfire resilience, clean air and water, and climate-smart agriculture.
As encouraging as this progress is, we know we must do more. Emissions are rising faster than ever recorded, the ocean has reached record-high temperatures, one global climate tipping point has already been breached, and extreme weather events are ruining lives and livelihoods on every continent, every day.
California’s role in keeping climate progress alive is more urgent than ever.
As the fourth-largest economy in the world, California must show the world that acting boldly on climate can solve multiple pressing challenges at once. Making climate solutions a reality creates good jobs, healthy food, clean air and water, affordable and reliable electricity — all essential for our communities to thrive.
To all of you who gave us your attention, money, and activism this year, thank you! Your dedication is an inspiration. Together, we will double down and grow our collaborative work to secure a climate-safe future for all.
With gratitude always,
Ellie Cohen, CEO
Lokelani Devone, Chair of the Board
It was an honor to work with The Climate Center as an important stakeholder in some of the most important environmental policy decisions of the legislative year, like the reauthorization of Cap and Trade. The Climate Center was a helpful stakeholder providing science-based and progressive recommendations.”
incoming Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón
Our impact
- Advocacy for accelerated, equitable climate policies
- Research, education, and outreach
- Organizing for policy change
I spent much of 2025 developing a proposal to reauthorize California’s Cap and Trade program, now known as Cap and Invest. The Climate Center was engaged and helpfully provided briefings with environmentally-forward, technically rigorous ideas. Some of those proposals made it into the final reauthorization bill, AB 1207. The Climate Center was a driving force in advocating for the creation of an Emissions Containment Reserve, which, though it was not in the final legislation, was a critical piece of the months-long discussion of how to ensure an environmentally ambitious Cap and Trade program that prioritized affordability for Californians.”
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin
Advocacy for accelerated, equitable climate policies
- Expanded composting by sponsoring SB 279 (McNerney): This new law will significantly increase on-farm and community composting capacity across the state, building healthy soils, drawing down past climate pollution, increasing water and food security, and reducing landfill waste while cutting methane emissions.
- Reformed California’s signature climate program, Cap and Invest: We provided strategic input to state legislators as they improved and extended California’s Cap and Invest program (formerly “Cap and Trade”) through 2045. We also co-led the coalition that successfully secured investment in nature-based climate solutions as the only new priority for future funding.
- Secured bipartisan support to scale up virtual power plants for affordable electricity: We co-sponsored AB 740 (Harabedian), which would bring the benefits of virtual power plants — networks of clean, local energy resources like smart thermostats, rooftop solar, and electric vehicles — to more Californians. Virtual power plants could save Californians billions of dollars on electricity bills. Despite Governor Newsom’s veto, we achieved an initial goal of educating and winning strong support from legislators.
- Secured $3.4 billion for urgent investment in climate solutions: After passing Prop 4 — the $10 billion climate bond that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in the 2024 election — we continued collaborating with state legislators to ensure that Prop 4 dollars were invested in extreme heat solutions, wildfire resilience, clean air and water, and climate-smart agriculture.
- Advanced geothermal energy for clean, round-the-clock power: We helped pass AB 531 (Rogers), which will enable faster permitting for clean geothermal energy projects to meet California’s growing electricity demand.
- Organized to Make Polluters Pay for the costs of the climate crisis: We mobilized thousands of Californians in support of two bills to establish a Polluters Pay Climate Superfund in California, SB 684 (Menjivar) and AB 1243 (Addis). A climate superfund would help shift the burden of paying for climate disasters like the LA fires from taxpayers to wealthy corporations. Our growing coalition secured resolutions of support from more than 15 cities and will continue to advocate in the legislature to pass these bills.
- Advanced legislation to build a cleaner and more resilient Grid for the Future. The Climate Center helped pass AB 39 (Zbur) to enhance local government electrification planning and AB 1167 (Berman) to prevent investor-owned utilities from passing on lobbying and advertising costs to ratepayers.
Research, education, and outreach
- Making Cap and Invest work for Californians, not Big Oil: Multiple state legislators relied on our policy brief, Reforming California’s Cap and Trade Program, as they reformed and authorized the state’s signature climate program, now called Cap and Invest. Our analysis shows how California can close a billion-dollar loophole for oil and gas corporations and generate more investment in climate solutions for all.
- The roadmap to a clean, reliable, and affordable electricity system: We released two reports, Envisioning the California Grid for the Future and Reducing Consumer Costs in California, that show how a better electricity system is possible if we overcome the political influence of corporate utilities. We continue to grow the coalition of organizations working towards cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable electricity for all Californians, and together we helped pass AB 1167 (Berman), which prevents investor-owned utilities from passing on lobbying and advertising costs to ratepayers.
- Eliminating subsidies for Big Oil, investing in climate solutions: Our report, Water’s Edge Tax Haven and California’s Budget Shortfall, explains how California could save hundreds of millions of dollars and help close our budget deficit by eliminating subsidies that benefit oil and gas corporations. Since releasing this report, we have collaborated with state lawmakers, labor unions, and more to pursue legislation that will make corporations pay their fair share in taxes.
- Showcasing California’s climate leadership on the global stage. As an official observer organization to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) we secure entrance badges for California legislators and other state decision-makers to attend the annual UN global climate conferences. This year, our delegation traveled to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, allowing state leaders to share California’s climate progress on a global stage while learning from their peers around the world.
The Climate Center’s laser-focused policy work furthers education, clean solutions, and the end of fossil fuels’ deadly legacy. What could be more meaningful?
Laurie Claudon, Mennen Foundation
Organizing for policy change
- California Climate Policy Summit and Lobby Day: On Earth Day 2025, we hosted the fourth annual California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento. The sold-out event brought together more than 400 climate, environmental justice, business, and labor leaders. Featured guests included California State Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire, climate scientist Dr. Katherine Hayhoe, environmental justice activist Cesar Aguirre, and several state lawmakers. We also presented the second annual Climate Leadership Award to Senator Monique Limón in recognition of her commitment to fighting for a climate-safe future. The following day, we led 50 activists through the Capitol to meet with legislators and their staff advocating for climate priorities.
- Growing a more powerful California climate movement: The Climate Center now has 45,000 climate activists in our network, and we generated more than 12,000 messages to state decision-makers in support of bold climate action over the past year. We work with hundreds of partners across the state, including regional and local climate organizations, labor, local government, and more than 35 businesses through our Business Network.
- We educated and engaged more than 10,000 activists, business leaders, and government officials to take action for a climate-safe future. We convene experts and decision-makers for regular webinars on the most pressing climate challenges of our time.
- Partnerships are critical to our success: We’re actively engaged in and played a leadership role in multiple statewide and regional coalitions, including the Building Decarbonization Coalition, Distributed Energy Resources Coalition, California Bidirectional Electric School Bus Policy Coalition, Central Valley Air Quality Coalition, Charge Ahead Coalition, Coalition for a California Green New Deal, Green California, Healthy Soils Network, Last Chance Alliance, Natural and Working Lands Coalition, Refinery Transitions Working Group, Stronger Together – CCA Workforce and Environmental Justice Alliance, and VISIÓN Allies.
- Climate-Safe California endorsements: As of October 2025, we’ve secured 2,756 endorsements of our Climate-Safe California platform, including 97 elected officials, 166 non-governmental organizations, 131 businesses, 12 local governments, and more than 2,000 individuals throughout California.
Who we are
Our mission
The Climate Center is a climate and energy policy nonprofit working to rapidly reduce climate pollution at scale, starting in California.
Our vision
We believe in vibrant, healthy communities. We envision a future where everyone in California enjoys clean air and water, renewable and reliable energy, healthy food, thriving nature, and more. California already has the tools and know-how to make this vision a reality — if our elected leaders act with the urgency the climate crisis demands. As goes California, so goes the world.
I had a keen interest in fighting climate change, but I felt overwhelmed. The Climate Center’s webinars and research briefs helped me grasp a range of nuanced, climate policies. As a citizen and a businessperson, I am proud to invest my time and money in their extraordinarily effective work.”
Lisa Whitescarver, Board Member and Business Network Member
Climate-Safe California
Climate-Safe California is built on four pillars:
- Phase out fossil fuels from vehicles, electricity, our homes, and more;
- Invest in resilient communities and clean energy systems;
- Scale up carbon drawdown; and
- Unlock public and private funding for climate action.
These initiatives fit together like pieces of a puzzle: we need to pursue all of them in tandem to deliver on the promise of a climate-safe future. If we can do this in California — now the fourth-largest economy in the world — we can do it anywhere. As goes California, so goes the world.
Our approach
The Climate Center makes change through an ambitious and achievable vision, developing science-based research to drive policy, and mobilizing a powerful coalition of climate advocates and partners across sectors.
Together with local governments, labor unions, business leaders, environmental organizations, climate justice advocates, and more, we’re pushing lawmakers in Sacramento to enact accelerated, equitable climate policies.
These bold policies then unleash innovation across the economy and channel market forces, making climate-friendly choices accessible to everyone.
Our guiding principles
All of The Climate Center’s work is guided by three core principles: follow the science, prioritize climate justice for frontline communities, and secure a just transition for workers.
- Follow the latest science. We know that the bar for climate action is set by what science demands and the climate impacts people are already experiencing, not what pundits deem possible. We’re working to bring California’s climate ambition in line with what the latest science says is necessary.
- Prioritize climate justice. Marginalized communities — Black, Brown, Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian people as well as working-class communities across race — are bearing the brunt of California’s climate crisis. The fossil fuel economy prioritizes short-term profit over people’s health. Working together, we can ensure that all Californians enjoy equitable access to climate solutions and the benefits of clean energy.
- Secure a just transition for workers. As we transition away from oil and gas and toward renewable energy, policymakers must ensure fossil fuel workers and their families aren’t left behind. That means creating millions of family-sustaining jobs in clean energy, providing workforce training and job placement for workers in transition, and protecting workers’ pensions and healthcare benefits.
Financials
Securing a strong and thriving organization: We’ve grown considerably over the past five years, from a budget of $1.3 million to $3.3 million this year.
Guided by our FY 2024-2026 Strategic Plan, we raised $3.7 million in 2025 to expand our capacity and leverage more funds to continue our impact on climate policy in California.
We could not do any of this without our generous donors — thanks again! We are always eager to hear from you with questions and feedback. Please reach out to us at info@theclimatecenter.org.
Funding sources 2025
| Individuals | $2,101,323 | 57% |
| Foundation grants | $1,185,675 | 32% |
| Business contributions | $330,845 | 9% |
| Government | $4,208 | 0% |
| Conference admissions | $56,785 | 2% |
| Interest and investment activity, net | $22,232 | 1% |
| In-kind donations | $6,838 | 0% |
| TOTAL | $3,707,906 | 100% |
Expenses 2025
| Program | $2,404,631 | 72% |
| Management and general | $412,632 | 12% |
| Fundraising | $532,691 | 16% |
| TOTAL | $3,349,954 | 100% |
For audited financial statements and 990s, click here.
The Climate Center is an outstanding organization that provides accurate information on a broad range of climate issues and policies. I’m a climate activist and I use the educational materials to lobby my legislators on why they should support sound, effective, science-based climate legislation. I donate to The Climate Center and have included it in my will.”
Karen Jacques, donor and activist