SACRAMENTO — Facing a projected overall budget deficit of $31.5 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that he intends to follow through on his January proposal to cut $6 billion from climate and energy programs in California’s 2023-2024 budget. If approved by the legislature, that would bring California’s multi-year climate spending down to $48 billion, an 11 percent cut to investments in a climate-safe future.
In response, Nicole Rivera, Government Affairs Director for The Climate Center, said:
“While we’re grateful to Governor Newsom for avoiding further cuts to climate and clean energy investments, California has major challenges ahead. Winter storms and flooding cost the state billions of dollars this year and an El Niño system is expected to bring record-breaking heat and deadly wildfires this summer and fall. We’re in a climate emergency and we need to do everything we can to prepare, not slash funding for programs designed to keep Californians safe from climate extremes.
“We urge Governor Newsom and the legislature to find ways to close the deficit without cutting $6 billion in climate investments. It is encouraging that state leaders are exploring a climate bond to generate revenue. We hope they will also commit to eliminating the millions of dollars in subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuel corporations. Governor Newsom and state lawmakers have a choice to make — hold fossil fuel corporations accountable for the mess they made or pay the price in lives and dollars for years to come.”
Earlier this week, The Climate Center joined 32 other groups on a letter urging Governor Newsom to cut tax subsidies for oil and gas while maintaining funding in the state budget for clean transportation and clean energy programs.
Of note, one of the largest cuts in the proposed budget is a $1.1 billion cut to programs that would accelerate California’s transition to clean, electric vehicles. Not only is transportation the number one source of climate pollution in the state, but California’s electric vehicles should be one of our greatest assets in providing clean, reliable, affordable electricity.
ENDS
Contact: Ryan Schleeter, Communications Director, The Climate Center: ryan@theclimatecenter.org, (415) 342-2386
About The Climate Center:
The Climate Center is a climate and energy policy nonprofit working to rapidly reduce climate pollution at scale, starting in California. We are a think-tank, do-tank working to turn bold ideas into action for a climate-safe future. Our flagship Climate-Safe California campaign is a unique and comprehensive effort to make California the first state in the nation to reach carbon negative. www.theclimatecenter.org
