On July 1, 2024, SB 59 passed out of the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee by a vote of 12-3. Introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner and sponsored by The Climate Center, SB 59 aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to shore up the electric grid, power homes during outages, and … Read more
For more than two weeks in June, fire crews battled more than 20 fires across California, including the 15,000-acre Post fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Experts are warning Californians to brace for a very active wildfire season. A wet winter that produced more vegetation than usual and record-breaking early heatwaves are already fueling … Read more
Frontline, working-class communities across California endure greater harm from climate-fueled extreme weather events than wealthier communities. For example, they typically have fewer trees providing shade during heat waves and fewer resources to evacuate in the event of extreme rain or flooding. State and federal funds are crucial for enhancing preparedness, response, and resilience in frontline … Read more
Californians face growing risks from extreme heat thanks to the climate crisis. Worldwide, we’ve experienced record-breaking temperatures for 12 consecutive months — a trend that comes with grave consequences. In June of 2021, a heat wave killed nearly 900 people in the Pacific Northwest. In the summer of 2022, more than 60,000 people died in … Read more
SACRAMENTO — Moments ago, the California legislature passed AB 107, the Budget Act of 2024. As expected following Governor Newsom’s May revise, this budget includes billions in cuts and deferrals to climate spending, impacting programs for wildfire resilience, distributed clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and more. In response, The Climate Center’s Chief Operating Officer Barry Vesser … Read more
Electric vehicles (EVs) have enormous potential to help us address multiple problems at once. They can significantly lower energy costs for consumers, reduce harmful air pollution, and contribute to a more resilient electricity system by storing energy in their batteries for use during extreme weather events. Current technology allows an electric car battery to power … Read more
Climate-fueled extreme weather events, including extreme heat and atmospheric rivers, are causing more and more power outages across California. State leaders must invest in clean, resilient energy solutions, starting in frontline communities. Despite proposed cuts to the state’s climate budget, millions of dollars are already allocated to fund resilience initiatives across California, including community resilience … Read more
Every Spring in Sacramento, The Climate Center organizes the California Climate Policy Summit to bring together climate policy advocates, policy leaders, and industry partners working to create a climate-safe future for California. It seems fitting that this event should also pay tribute to California elected officials who have demonstrated outstanding leadership to make California a global … Read more
On March 19, 2024, The Climate Center convened more than 350 climate activists, environmental justice advocates, state decision-makers, elected officials, business leaders, scientists, and policy experts for the third annual California Climate Policy Summit. Thank you to everyone who joined us! Together, we’ll continue building support for climate policy commensurate with what science demands. Read … Read more
A record-setting amount of state and federal funding is available right now to support community energy resilience projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Such projects include rooftop solar that can provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy for all. In this webinar, a panel of experts discussed opportunities and challenges of securing funding through the Inflation … Read more
