Bizarre and dangerous. That’s how I saw last month’s record-shattering heat wave that stretched from coastal California to the Great Plains. Temperatures for March exceeded the highest on record by enormous margins in at least 65 cities across multiple states. Some locations even broke records for April and May! Extreme heat kills and sickens more … Read more
I can’t believe it, but it’s true. I turn 70 this year, and after 47 years working to secure a better future for all life on our planet, the time has come for me to retire! This is a bittersweet moment: my official last day will be June 30, the end of The Climate Center’s … Read more
Affordability continues to be a concern both in California and nationwide, despite Trump calling it a fake issue. Fortunately, investments in clean energy and other climate solutions are investments in affordability! Numerous studies point to climate-fueled extreme weather as a driver of rising consumer costs, especially for food. In fact, U.S. food prices are up … Read more
As 2025 comes to a close, I want to acknowledge that it’s been a tough year for climate action with near-constant attacks on our progress from a science-denying, pro-oil federal administration. I don’t want to underestimate our challenges, but I do want to celebrate our victories! This year, The Climate Center collaborated with partners to … Read more
California is entering a pivotal moment in its fight against the climate crisis, one that demands not only accelerating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but also confronting carbon pollution left behind since the Industrial Revolution. These long-lived legacy emissions will continue to impact the climate, even when society has successfully decarbonized across sectors. The … Read more
During this press conference, which took place in Belém, Brazil at COP30, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Karen Ross joined The Climate Center’s Legislative Manager Allison Hilliard to discuss California’s Healthy Soils Program. Secretary Ross explained how the program is helping to shift California farmers’ practices to composting, cover crops, … Read more
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 … Read more
The 2025 California legislative session ended on September 13. During this webinar, we heard from legislators, environmental justice leaders, and clean energy experts about several hot topics that emerged during this session — from the future of refineries and the state’s Cap and Invest program (formerly Cap and Trade), to scaling up nature-based solutions and … Read more
The California Legislature ended its 2025 session on Saturday. All in all, despite some setbacks, we made more progress than I thought possible. I am very proud of the collaborative leadership role The Climate Center played, especially in light of the federal administration’s efforts to dismantle climate and clean energy policies and slash funding. The … Read more
Thanks to the more than 400 of you who were able to join us last week for the 2025 California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento. It was an inspiring day of learning, action, and community, despite the challenges we face from rapidly worsening climate impacts and a science-denying, pro-oil federal administration. California State Senate President … Read more
