| Press Release

Governor Newsom signs suite of polluter accountability bills into law

COP26 Mobilization in Quezon City, Philippines

​​SACRAMENTO, October 7, 2023 — Moments ago, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a suite of bills passed by the California legislature designed to hold corporate climate polluters accountable. Bills signed by the governor today include: “Without transparency, there can be no accountability,” said Ryan Schleeter, Communications Director for The Climate Center. “We applaud Governor Newsom for … Read more

What the California Legislature Did to Hold Polluters Accountable

Zoom

California’s new lawsuit against major oil corporations cites decades of deception about the causes of climate change and billions in damages to California communities. The lawsuit, along with several key climate bills passed this year, will hold corporate polluters accountable. AB 1167 (Carrillo) will make the owners of orphaned and idle oil and gas wells … Read more

| Take Action

Tell Governor Newsom to veto SB 842 and hold Big Oil accountable for price gouging

Last Chance Alliance activists in support of a price gouging penalty on greedy oil corporations, which SB 842 would undermine if signed. Photo: Oil and Gas Action Network

On October 7, 2023, Governor Newsom vetoed SB 842. SB 842 would have undermined the price gouging penalty passed at the beginning of 2023, which holds the oil industry accountable for excessively raising gasoline prices to pad their profits. In a last-minute deal reached just before the end of the legislative session, SB 842 was … Read more

VIP Lunch: How We Win on Climate Against Big Oil

Sunrun HQ, 225 Bush Street, San Francisco

California just announced a lawsuit against five major oil corporations for their decades of deception and billions of dollars in damages to California communities. The Climate Center hosted an intimate conversation with The Climate Center CEO Ellie Cohen, Sunrun CEO Mary Powell, and California State Senator Scott Wiener to learn how we can end the … Read more

| Take Action

Tell Governor Newsom to stop issuing permits for new oil and gas drilling

Neighborhood oil drilling in California

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

| Press Release

California launches precedent-setting lawsuit against Big Oil – The Climate Center response

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

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

| Press Release

California legislative session ends with wins for corporate accountability, but more climate ambition is needed

Capitol Building in Sacramento

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

| Take Action

Thank Governor Newsom for signing SB 253, SB 261, and AB 1167 into law

End Fossil Fuels March in NYC, September 17, 2023. Photo: Survival Media Agency

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

| Blog Post

For the first time, United Nations report calls for phasing out fossil fuels

People's Climate March in New York City. Photo by @5byseven.

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

| Take Action

Tell Governor Newsom to accelerate equitable climate action now

As the world’s fourth-largest economy and the second-largest state contributor to U.S. climate pollution, California has a responsibility to lead on climate. Governor Newsom has the unique power to reduce pollution, create jobs in the clean energy economy, and save lives. If he takes several key steps over the coming months, we have a shot … Read more