| Blog Post

California announces first-of-their-kind nature-based climate targets

California recently announced ambitious, nation-leading targets for nature-based climate solutions. These new targets were established per AB 1757, signed into law in 2022 thanks to The Climate Center’s collaborative leadership and all of you who took action in support! Over the next 20 years, the state will work to transform more than half of its … Read more

| Press Release

With revised budget, Governor Newsom cuts climate investments but protects fossil fuel subsidies

SACRAMENTO — Moments ago, Governor Newsom revealed key details of his May budget revision to be released next week, cementing his intentions to cut billions of dollars from programs designed to clean the air and reduce climate pollution. Despite a multibillion-dollar deficit, the governor is yet to respond to advocates’ calls to eliminate all tax … Read more

| Press Release

Budget cuts threaten California’s progress on natural climate solutions

Farmworker in California's Central Valley. Photo by Canva.

SACRAMENTO — On Monday, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) released a new set of targets for nature-based climate solutions as required by AB 1757 (C. Garcia and R. Rivas, 2022). While the new targets should help California sequester more carbon on our natural and working lands than we emit, they mean little without state … Read more

| Blog Post

As the world burns, California leaders gathered to advance climate action

As ocean heating continues to reach record levels, global temperature records were smashed for the ninth straight month and we exceeded the dangerous threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius warming 12 months in a row for the first time. Scientists expressed alarm that these changes signal Earth’s life-sustaining systems may be on the brink of irreversible … Read more

| Blog Post

Passing 1.5 degrees Celsius and what you can do about it

Last weekend’s storm that knocked out power for 800,000 Californians drove home what climate extremes mean in real life. The storm was yet another record-breaker after a year of climate disruptions that shocked scientists — from record-high temperature averages in 77 countries to severe floods in China, Greece, India, Libya, New Zealand, and the United … Read more

What Lackluster Progress at COP28 Means for California

Zoom

The final agreement reached at COP28, the annual United Nations climate conference that concluded in December, recognized the need to transition away from fossil fuels. But it contained almost no details about how nations can wean themselves off of oil, gas, and coal. In this webinar, we heard from California legislators, The Climate Center’s own … Read more

| Blog Post

What We Learned at COP28: California Can and Must Do More on Climate

The Climate Center's Marc Victoria, Baani Behniwal, and Barry Vesser at COP28

Last November, The Climate Center’s Barry Vesser, Baani Behniwal, and Marc Victoria traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for COP28 — the UN’s annual climate conference — to help coordinate the California delegation. With a record attendance of 84,000 people from 193 countries, this COP was massive. You may be wondering why The Climate Center, … Read more

California Climate Lobby Day 2024

Sacramento, CA

On March 20 2024, the day after the California Climate Policy Summit, The Climate Center and our partners led a day of advocacy at state legislative offices. This was an opportunity to meet directly with lawmakers and their staff to deliver a clear and compelling message about the bills we want to see California pass … Read more

Climate Coffee Break: A Chat with California Climate Leaders about recent accomplishments and what remains to be done

International Labour Organization Pavilion in the Blue Zone at Zone B7, Building 88 on the 3rd Floor

California passed a number of important bills into law this year, including bills to hold corporations accountable for their carbon emissions, codify 30×30 conservation goals, move transportation toward zero-emissions vehicles and infrastructure, make it easier to implement transmission infrastructure and finance large-scale infrastructure projects, and reign in oil industry greed at the expense of consumers. … Read more

| Report

Reforming California’s Cap and Trade Program Policy Brief

Analysis and Recommendations

Sacramento River. Photo via Canva.

Executive Summary and Key Recommendations The California Cap and Trade Program plays a pivotal role in the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A review of the program ahead of the upcoming 2025 compliance period has opened a critical window of opportunity to address and correct the program’s recognized shortcomings. In this policy brief, … Read more