Clean Energy

| Blog Post

Climate voters showed up for Governor Newsom, now it’s time for him to show up for us

State of the State Protest in Sacramento

It’s official: Governor Newsom has survived the recall attempt.  Climate voters mobilized by the millions in this election. When we cast our ballots, we voted for action to address the wildfires, toxic smoke, drought, and intense heat waves that have wreaked havoc across California this summer. With the recall behind him, it’s up to Governor … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Justice Fossil Fuels
| Press Release

California legislative session ends with a whimper – The Climate Center response

Capitol Building in Sacramento

September 13, 2021 — Late Friday night, the California State Legislature adjourned for the remainder of the year. The close of the legislative session marked another year in which much-needed climate legislation was obstructed by fossil fuel corporations and their allies.  In response, Ellie Cohen, CEO of climate and energy policy nonprofit The Climate Center, … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Fossil Fuels
| Report

San Francisco Bay Area Greenhouse Gas Emission Trends for 2014 – 2019

San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge

The San Francisco Bay area is home to almost 8 million Californians. The region consists of rural, urban, industrial, and suburban areas that represent a wide cross-section of California. The Climate Center conducted a report to determine greenhouse gas trends in the region in order to help policymakers determine challenges and opportunities for reducing emissions … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Targets Fossil Fuels Transportation
| Blog Post

IPCC warns of ‘unprecedented, irreversible’ climate change. Here’s what California can do.

August 9, 2021 — Today, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Report, detailing the latest advances in climate science. The report warns that humans have “unequivocally” warmed the planet, causing “widespread and rapid” changes to Earth’s oceans, ice, and land surface. It also provides further evidence of the … Read more

Categories Clean Energy
| Report

Jobs and Climate Action in California

History, Resources, and Opportunities

Hybrid solar/wind system, 2400W windturbines, 4000W solar modules, island Zirje, Croatia by Nenad Kajić / Veneko.hr

As California responds to the climate crisis, new industries will grow and others will shrink. Research shows that hundreds of thousands of permanent jobs will be created by working towards state climate stabilization targets. At the same time, jobs in legacy industries — oil, gas, and refineries, for example — are likely to decline. Ensuring … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Just Transition
| Press Release

Governor Newsom directs CARB to explore 2035 carbon neutrality pathways – The Climate Center response

Photo by Tom Swinnen from Pexels

Santa Rosa, California, July 12, 2021 — Late on Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to explore accelerated action to reduce climate pollution. CARB will model a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2035, ten years ahead of the state’s current goal, and the CPUC … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Fossil Fuels
| Blog Post

California’s budget surplus is a historic opportunity for climate-safe investments

We live in an extraordinary time for California’s budget. Despite previous predictions of a major COVID-induced deficit, the state instead is currently sitting on an unprecedented budget surplus to the tune of nearly $100 billion. This presents a massive opportunity to invest in climate resilience, clean energy, green jobs, and more. The legislative budget process … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Just Transition Transportation
| Blog Post

Ann Hancock stepping down after two decades of extraordinary climate leadership

I’m deeply saddened to share that Ann Hancock, co-founder of The Climate Center and climate activist extraordinaire, will be stepping down from her formal leadership staff position to attend to her husband’s serious health issues. We will miss her voice, smarts, and wit as she puts her full attention to supporting her spouse.   With a … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Choice Energy
| Post

Thank you for the amazing partnership

It is hard for me to fathom that June 30 is my last day at The Climate Center, the organization Mike Sandler and I co-founded 20 years ago. I have fully devoted myself to this effort for these two decades. My husband Jack suffers from Crohn’s Disease and has for the forty-plus years we have … Read more

Categories Clean Energy