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
Recent legislative progress in the “Make Polluters Pay” movement shows how powerful we can be when we organize strategically. In mid-May, along with a strong coalition of partners, we lobbied in Sacramento in support of several key bills to Make Polluters Pay for the damage they cause to California communities and our climate. The bills … Read more
Right now, Governor Newsom and the state legislature are in critical budget negotiations. The governor will issue his revised budget proposal on May 14, then the legislature will have until June 15 to vote on the final budget. The governor’s budget still includes billions in potential cuts to climate and clean air investments that would … 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
Despite our reputation for climate leadership, California still produces hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil per day. Each day this practice continues, the state is failing millions of residents who face toxic and dangerous conditions in their communities. In early February in Bakersfield, an oil pipe burst in front of an elementary school, sending … Read more
Big Oil is pushing to greenlight the first-ever carbon capture and storage scam in California. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) prolongs the burning of fossil fuels and poses serious public health risks, despite Big Oil falsely advertising it as a climate solution. These projects have consistently proven ineffective, unsafe, and expensive. Fossil fuel corporations claim … Read more
On February 29, 2024, the California Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy met to hear from experts and the public on the proposed 2024-2025 state budget. Facing a projected $73 billion budget deficit, Governor Newsom has proposed billions in potential cuts to climate and energy investments. If approved by the legislature, the … Read more
Another year of record-breaking heat resulted in a major increase in heat-related deaths across the country in 2023, with people of color and the elderly most impacted. Here in California, extreme heat combined with wildfire smoke caused increased hospitalizations for lower-income communities as well as Latino, Black, Asian, and other communities of color. The legacy … Read more
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
