A new report by The Climate Center finds that, between 2013 and 2024, California funneled $27.8 billion to corporate polluters through two state climate programs designed to cut climate pollution: the Cap and Invest program and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
These funds were intended to incentivize low-carbon transportation, including electric vehicles and public transit. Instead, they funded dirty transportation. This multi-billion dollar giveaway to some of the wealthiest, most polluting corporations locked in further reliance on fossil fuels at the expense of our climate and frontline communities who continue to deal with the health impacts.
Clearly this is unacceptable! Our report offers policy recommendations for correcting this to align with the state’s decarbonization goals, including reforms to the Cap and Invest program and the LCFS.
Our analysis also found that the lost opportunities are huge. Over the same time period, $28 billion could have funded:
- The installation of 2.8 million EV chargers across the state (there are over 200,000 publicly available EV charging ports in the state as of September 2025);
- Free statewide public transit for 12 years, with $11 billion left over for service improvements and transit electrification; or,
- A complete job transition for California’s oil workers away from fossil fuels, with about $15 billion left to invest in other climate solutions!
This is a pivotal moment. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is taking public comment until March 9 on reforms to the Cap and Invest program. Tell CARB to end giveaways to corporate polluters and invest in real climate action today.
You can also view this webinar to learn more about our report findings.
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, subscribetoday!
