There’s nothing like connecting with colleagues, experts, and friends from all over the state in person! I am so grateful to the more than 400 of you who joined us on Monday for the 2026 California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento. What a special and inspiring day together! If you couldn’t join us, please take time to watch the plenary session, including my opening remarks, Secretary Crowfoot’s keynote address, and two excellent, thought-provoking panels with state legislators and policy experts.
My single biggest takeaway from this year’s Summit is that climate action is the best way to solve multiple problems at once.
Here are three examples that inspired me and that I hope will inspire you to take action (by clicking on the hyperlinks below):
Clean electricity is cheaper, more reliable electricity. Affordability was a major theme at the summit as millions of Californians struggle with rising utility bills and gasoline prices. When it comes to electricity, clean and local equals cheaper and more reliable. We heard from Senator Josh Becker, the author of SB 1282 and SB 913, about the enormous opportunity for local clean energy — including rooftop solar and EVs — to reduce electricity bills and prevent blackouts while helping California phase out polluting fossil fueled power plants.
California is a leader in natural climate solutions — and we’re not done yet. In his keynote address, California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot highlighted the state’s remarkable progress in implementing natural climate solutions, acknowledging the leadership role played by The Climate Center and our many partners. Enacting policies like AB 2184 (Wilson) to ensure ongoing state investments in sustainable agriculture, urban greening, and other nature-based climate solutions for the long-term will be crucial to our collective well-being. These approaches allow us to cut emissions, draw down past carbon pollution, and build resilience to increasingly extreme weather events. As renowned climate scientist Johan Rockstrom recently said, “There is no pathway to climate stability or sustainable development without keeping nature intact.”
Phasing out fossil fuels can protect us from corporate greed. We heard from many speakers about clean energy solutions to oil and gas companies’ price gouging at the pump, with huge increases in their profit margins. As we transition to a cleaner economy for all, we can prevent gas price spikes as well as corporate price gouging while ensuring cleaner air, especially in frontline communities. That’s why I’m excited about policies like AB 2672 (Hart), which will replace the oldest, most polluting gas cars in California with clean EVs, significantly reducing air and climate pollution, paid for by assessing a fee on out-of-state gasoline importers. The measure will help stabilize gasoline supply during emergencies, prevent price spikes, and provide crucial funding for clean transportation.
Videos, transcripts, and other resources are available on the Summit resources webpage. And stay tuned for an update about next year’s Summit — I hope you will join us!
This blog first appeared in The Climate Center’s bi-weekly newsletter. To keep up with the latest climate news and ways to take action for a climate-safe future, subscribe today!
