| Blog Post

Memo from The Climate Center to Governor Newsom: ‘You can lead’

California Flag

On July 31, 2023, The Climate Center CEO Ellie Cohen sent a memo to Governor Gavin Newsom encouraging him to pursue accelerated, equitable climate action. The memo outlines seven high-priority policy actions the governor can take right now to reduce pollution, create new jobs, and save lives. The following is an excerpt from the memo … Read more

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Testimony: Moving past fossil fuels for energy resilience

Electric vehicle (EV) charging. Photo by Canva.

On July 12, 2023, SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, Nuvve, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, advanced out of the Assembly Energy and Utilities Committee by a vote of ten to four. The bill aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to power … Read more

| Press Release

Bill to avoid blackouts using electric vehicle batteries advances from Assembly Transportation Committee

SB 233 will keep the lights on, clean the air, and support climate justice

SACRAMENTO — On July 5, 2023, SB 233 passed out of the Assembly Transportation Committee by a nine to four vote. Introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner and co-sponsored by The Climate Center, Nuvve, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, the bill will require most new electric vehicles (EVs) sold in California to have bidirectional charging … Read more

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Testimony: How to avoid power outages using EV batteries

On July 5, 2023, SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, Nuvve, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, advanced out of the Assembly Transportation Committee by a vote of nine to four. The bill aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to power homes during … Read more

| Press Release

California lawmakers approve $6 billion in cuts to climate and energy programs

SACRAMENTO — Today, the California state legislature voted to approve a 2023-2024 budget that cuts $6 billion from the state’s planned investments in climate and clean energy. The cuts represent an 11 percent overall reduction in California’s investments in a climate-safe future. In response, Nicole Rivera, Government Affairs Director for The Climate Center, said: “California’s … Read more

| Press Release

Senate Appropriations Committee kills SB 12, holding back California’s climate ambition

Activists gather near an Inglewood Oil Field in Los Angeles, one of the largest contiguous urban oil fields in the country, to urge the Governor of California to take action to phase out fossil fuels, beginning with those within 2500 feet of homes and other sensitive sites.

SACRAMENTO — Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee held SB 12, one of the most ambitious pieces of climate legislation in California this year. Introduced by Senator Henry Stern and sponsored by The Climate Center, the bill would have required California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, … Read more

| Press Release

Bill for reliable, clean energy using electric vehicle batteries passes out of Senate Appropriations Committee

Smith electric school bus

SACRAMENTO — Today, SB 233 advanced out of the California Senate Appropriations Committee. Introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner and co-sponsored by The Climate Center, Nuvve, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, the bill will require most new electric vehicles (EVs) sold in California to have bidirectional charging capability by 2030 (amended from 2027). Bidirectional charging … Read more

| Press Release

Governor Newsom follows through on $6 billion cut to climate investments in California budget – The Climate Center response

SACRAMENTO — Facing a projected overall budget deficit of $31.5 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that he intends to follow through on his January proposal to cut $6 billion from climate and energy programs in California’s 2023-2024 budget. If approved by the legislature, that would bring California’s multi-year climate spending down to $48 billion, an … Read more

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Testimony: Resilient, reliable, and clean energy using EV batteries

On April 25, 2023, SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, advanced out of the Senate Transportation Committee. The bill aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to power homes during outages, lower energy bills for Californians, and make the whole electricity grid more reliable. … Read more

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Testimony: California can leverage electric vehicles to keep the lights on

On April 18, 2023, SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, advanced out of the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee. The bill aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to power homes during outages, lower energy bills for Californians, and make the whole … Read more