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
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
Decarbonizing existing residential buildings is critical to meeting California’s climate goals. Buildings in California are responsible for almost 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, or 25 percent of the state’s climate pollution. Recent research shows that, to keep pace with the latest climate science and stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius of … 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
On July 12, 2023, SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, Nuvve, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, advanced out of the Assembly Energy and Utilities Committee by a vote of ten to four. The bill aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to power … Read more
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report states that 100 percent renewable energy systems will likely need to include hydrogen. However, the hydrogen debate — based on efficiency costs, climate pollution, health and safety, and environmental impacts — is complex and has ebbed and flowed over the past several decades. The reality is that hydrogen is neither … Read more
