Governor Newsom is taking on Big Oil in a big way. Recently, he announced that California is suing five of the largest oil corporations in the world — Exxon, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and BP — as well as the American Petroleum Institute, for their decades of climate deception. This lawsuit is huge not only because … Read more
Update September 17, 2023: Speaking at a panel discussion on climate change in New York City on Sunday, Governor Newsom indicated that he will sign SB 253 (Wiener) and SB 261 (Stern), both of which are focused on corporate climate accountability. ### SACRAMENTO — Today, before thousands of people prepare to march in both New … Read more
SACRAMENTO — Last night, the 2023 California legislative session came to a close. Critical pieces of climate legislation now awaiting Governor Newsom’s signature include: “In a year defined by record-breaking climate disasters across the globe, all eyes have been on California,” said Nicole Rivera, Government Affairs Director for The Climate Center. “State lawmakers stepped up … Read more
On October 7, 2023, Governor Newsom signed SB 253, SB 261, and AB 1167 into law to set stricter standards for corporate polluters. SB 253, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, requires U.S.-based corporations doing business in California that make over $1 billion annually to publicly disclose their full carbon footprint. SB 261, the Climate-Related … Read more
On September 8, 2023, the United Nations released its first “stocktake” report on progress toward the goals of the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Those goals are to stay below 2 degrees Celsius of warming and strive to stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial levels. The report states: “The first [stocktake] is taking … Read more
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
With both states and the federal government investing heavily in new hydrogen projects, hydrogen has re-emerged as a major topic of debate in climate, energy, and environmental justice circles. There are many unresolved questions about hydrogen, including the definition of green hydrogen, how to get hydrogen to where it is needed, and what its appropriate … Read more
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
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
We’ve all experienced extreme heat and wildfires in California over the past few years. Temperatures records have been broken up and down the West Coast during the summer and early fall, and this year is predicted to be another scorcher. It’s time to address the dangers of extreme heat, particularly for our children. Senate Bill … Read more
