Our Impact
We know what it takes to turn good ideas into policy. Together with local governments, business leaders, environmental justice advocates, climate scientists, and more, we’re pushing lawmakers in Sacramento to enact policies that will secure a climate-safe future for all. Our recent achievements include:
Advocacy for accelerated, equitable climate policies
Expanding composting to draw down past climate pollution and cut methane emissions: We co-sponsored SB 279 (McNerney), signed into law in 2025. This bill will significantly increase composting on farms and in communities, helping to build healthy soils that sequester past climate pollution, enhance food security, replenish groundwater, support diverse wildlife, and reduce landfill waste.
Enacting pioneering bidirectional charging policy: We led the charge for clean, reliable, distributed energy in the California legislature, mobilizing nearly 200 businesses and organizations to pass SB 59 (Skinner) in 2024. This bill — the first of its kind in the nation — authorizes the California Energy Commission to require electric vehicles to have bidirectional charging capability, which will help California keep the lights on, clean the air, and lower electricity prices for ratepayers.
Leading the nation in natural climate solutions: In April 2024, California unveiled exciting new targets for nature-based climate solutions. The targets were established per AB 1757 (C. Garcia), signed into law in 2022 thanks to The Climate Center’s collaborative leadership. Over the next 20 years, the state will work to realize these 81 new targets to transform more than half of its 104 million acres into healthier, climate-resilient, and carbon-sequestering landscapes, spanning farms, ranches, forests, grasslands, wetlands, and urban areas.
Reforming 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.
Passing a historic, $10 billion climate bond: In November 2024, California voters passed Prop 4, a $10 billion climate bond, by a 59-41 margin. Prop 4 will invest $10 billion in clean air and water, solutions to extreme heat, wildfire readiness, climate-friendly agriculture, and more.
Advancing clean, locally-controlled energy: We played a pivotal role in scaling Community Choice Energy across California, bringing clean, affordable, reliable energy to more than 11 million people. Most recently, we helped bring Community Choice Energy to Stockton, a huge step forward for the Central Valley’s energy future.
Research, education, and outreach
Our research and reports guide decision-makers in making bold climate solutions a reality in California. These resources help direct state policies and investments toward the most equitable, effective climate solutions.
We convene experts and decision-makers for regular webinars on the most pressing climate challenges of our time. In the last several years, our webinars have reached tens of thousands of activists, business leaders, and government officials and engaged them to take action for a climate-safe future.
As an official observer organization to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), we convened California legislators and other state decision-makers to attend COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, and COP30 in Belém, Brazil. This allows state leaders to share California’s climate progress on a global stage while also learning from their counterparts around the world, catalyzing bolder action at home.
Organizing for policy change
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.
Annual California Climate Policy Summit: Each Spring, The Climate Center hosts the annual California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento, bringing together hundreds of state decision-makers, policy experts, environmental justice organizers, businesses, and labor leaders. Past speakers include former special advisor to Governor Newsom and current California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez, climate scientist Dr. Katherine Hayhoe, Goldman Prize-winning activist Nalleli Cobo, and numerous state lawmakers. At the most recent Summit, we presented the second annual Climate Leadership Award to Senator Monique Limón in recognition of her commitment to fighting for a climate-safe future.
Climate-Safe California endorsements: We’ve secured more than 2,000 endorsements of the Climate-Safe California platform, including hundreds of elected officials, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and local governments, as well as more than 1,000 individuals throughout California.
