Fossil Fuels

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Tell Governor Newsom and state leaders: Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and prioritize climate investments

Gavin Newsom by Charlie Kaijo

California’s 2025-2026 state budget faces a $12 billion deficit but protects huge tax breaks for oil and gas corporations. After unprecedented wildfires ravaged Los Angeles only days into 2025, California must strengthen critical climate programs, not cut them. Every dollar we invest in fighting the climate crisis today will save lives! We’ve seen what happens … Read more

Categories Fossil Fuels
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This Big Oil tax break must go

Chevron is one of five oil corporations named alongside the American Petroleum Institute in California's landmark new climate case.

As wildfires rage across Southern California and tens of thousands of people are evacuated (including our own staff members), oil and gas companies continue to wreck the climate while enjoying huge profits. This is the backdrop of a new report by The Climate Center, which reveals that a California tax policy called the “Water’s Edge … Read more

Categories Climate Targets Fossil Fuels
| Press Release

Big oil was instrumental in crafting a California tax policy that now costs billions in revenue, report reveals

As California faces another deficit, advocates urge lawmakers to end fossil fuel subsidies

Oil tankers at the Port of Long Beach.

SACRAMENTO — Global oil majors played a pivotal role in orchestrating a multibillion-dollar tax dodge that shields corporate profits from California taxes, according to new, in-depth historical research and analysis by The Climate Center. The Water’s Edge tax election, established in the state in 1986 after a decade-long fight, enables multinational corporations to avoid taxes … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels
| Report

Water’s Edge Tax Haven and California’s Budget Shortfall

How Oil and Gas Majors Crafted a Tax Avoidance Policy Contributing to Ongoing Budget Woes

Oil tankers at the Port of Long Beach.

This report details how global oil majors like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell orchestrated the creation of California’s Water’s Edge tax loophole — a policy that now costs California taxpayers billions annually. It offers a first-of-its-kind, historical look at how oil giants lobbied for and have benefited from the Water’s Edge tax election, shielding their profits … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels
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How climate action can lower the cost of living

Accelerating climate action will help California address the rising costs of food, electricity, and insurance. Collaborating with partners across the state, The Climate Center is working to pass laws in 2025 that hold Big Oil and corporate utilities accountable, support clean, local energy, and responsibly draw down past carbon pollution.  Right now, oil and gas … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Targets Community Energy Resilience Fossil Fuels Natural Carbon Sequestration

California Climate Policy Summit 2025

Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel, 1230 J St, Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator Mike McGuire and the CA Climate Policy Summit 2025

The fourth annual California Climate Policy Summit took place on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Sacramento. Thank you to our speakers, sponsors, and to the 400 state decision-makers, elected officials, climate activists, environmental justice advocates, business leaders, scientists, and policy experts who joined us to build power behind accelerated, equitable climate action! Videos, transcripts, slides, … Read more

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Tell California’s leaders to stand up for climate action

Climate Rally in Sacramento

What we do in California to address the climate crisis has a ripple effect across the world. With a climate-denying, pro-oil president waging war on federal climate action, California’s climate leadership is more important than ever. The administration is attacking federal climate progress at every level. On his first day in office, the new president … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Natural Carbon Sequestration
| Blog Post

The climate imperative: As goes California, so goes the world

Activists and lawmakers gather for the Make Polluters Pay rally in fall of 2024. Photo by Ryan Schleeter.

California has a reputation for precedent-setting climate policy, and the last year has shown us why. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, The Climate Center has been at the center of passing nation-leading, new laws. This year, together with policymakers, scientists, business leaders, local governments, activists, and others across the climate movement, we: … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Targets Community Energy Resilience Fossil Fuels Natural Carbon Sequestration
| Blog Post

We’re at COP29, the UN climate summit

We’re at COP29, the UN climate summit On Monday, representatives from nearly 200 nations and more than 3,000 NGOs — including our own Chief Operating Officer Barry Vesser — arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan for COP29, the annual United Nations climate change conference. The COP, or Conference of the Parties, brings together the nations of the … Read more

Categories Climate Targets Fossil Fuels
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What you need to know about methane

New satellite data shows the United States is releasing more methane despite pledges to cut back. Cutting methane emissions is one of the fastest ways to slow the climate crisis as this planet-heating gas is roughly 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.  Across California, methane is released intentionally via flaring and venting at oil … Read more

Categories Climate Targets Fossil Fuels