Thanks to the more than 400 of you who were able to join us last week for the 2025 California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento. It was an inspiring day of learning, action, and community, despite the challenges we face from rapidly worsening climate impacts and a science-denying, pro-oil federal administration.
California State Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire opened the Summit pledging to fight federal attacks on our state’s climate progress. You can view his powerful remarks about California’s vital role in standing up for democracy and climate action here. Also, you can glean excellent insights from the legislature and from science, business, academic, labor, environmental justice, and environmental leaders here.
Throughout the day, experts emphasized that, to help Californians face an affordability crisis and the simultaneous climate, equity, and democracy crises, lawmakers must Make Polluters Pay for the damage they cause. They must also end polluter giveaways in California’s Cap and Trade program and state budget.
With soaring utility and insurance costs and parts of the state suffering from the worst toxic pollution in the nation, the day focused on the many ways the clean energy transition can lower the cost of living for Californians. Innovative climate solutions like virtual power plants using networks of smart thermostats, rooftop solar, and bidirectional EVs have the potential to save the state billions of dollars. And scaling up carbon drawdown through regenerative agriculture can help ensure food and water security as we face growing extremes while supporting healthy, vibrant communities and wildlife.
Just before the Summit, we learned that the Trump administration may soon announce an executive order instructing the Internal Revenue Service to strip climate and environmental justice organizations of our federal tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status. While not officially announced yet, this potential move looms large. This likely illegal abuse of power is designed to threaten, intimidate, and divide our movement while helping polluters increase their profits.
We will not back down. And California’s elected leaders must not back down from the urgent need for science-based, accelerated, equitable climate action. We all must act more boldly than ever. Working together, we can and will win!
On this International Workers’ Day, if you haven’t already, please take a moment now to urge lawmakers to pass the Make Polluters Pay Climate Superfund bill and take other actions here.
This blog first appeared in The Climate Center’s bi-weekly newsletter. To keep up with the latest climate news and ways to take action for a climate-safe future, subscribe today!
