News

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| Blog Post

Batteries are booming

Person charging EV

Batteries that store clean energy to power both buildings and vehicles are rapidly changing the energy landscape. In the first half of 2023, 68 gas-fired power plant projects were put on hold or canceled because they are simply no longer needed —  giant batteries that store solar and wind energy are now cheaper to build … Read more

| Press Release

Big Oil’s Q3 lobbying spending brings year-to-date total to $20.6 million in last-ditch effort to kill California climate bills

Oil and gas interests have spent more on lobbying than all of 2022 with one quarter remaining

Activists gather near an Inglewood Oil Field in Los Angeles, one of the largest contiguous urban oil fields in the country, to urge the Governor of California to take action to phase out fossil fuels, beginning with those within 2500 feet of homes and other sensitive sites.

SACRAMENTO — Lobbying disclosures from Quarter 3, representing lobbying between July 1 and September 30, 2023, show that oil companies and trade associations spent more than $7.2 million on influence-related activities in an all-out effort to kill California climate bills.  This brings the total year-to-date spending by Big Oil to more than $20.6 million, already … Read more

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Urge state agencies to set ambitious targets to accelerate nature-based climate solutions

Climate solutions on farms, ranches, wetlands, forests, and more have the potential to draw down existing climate pollution and store it in soils and biomass while promoting food and water security and biodiversity. Out of California’s 105 million acres of land, approximately 90 percent has the potential to store planet-warming carbon.  Thanks to AB 1757 … Read more

| Blog Post

Climate, equity, and gas prices in California

Gas prices have been surging over the past two months across California, with average prices of about $1.20 more per gallon than the rest of the country. About $0.35 of that cannot be explained by taxes or other fees — but it could be explained by market manipulation. Just five corporations control over 90 percent … Read more

| Press Release

California awarded $1.2 billion for hydrogen program

SACRAMENTO, October 13, 2023 — Earlier today, Governor Newsom announced that California will receive up to $1.2 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy for the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) program.  ARCHES is a statewide, public-private partnership with the stated goal of accelerating renewable hydrogen projects and supporting California’s transition to … Read more

| Press Release

Governor Newsom signs suite of polluter accountability bills into law

COP26 Mobilization in Quezon City, Philippines

​​SACRAMENTO, October 7, 2023 — Moments ago, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a suite of bills passed by the California legislature designed to hold corporate climate polluters accountable. Bills signed by the governor today include: “Without transparency, there can be no accountability,” said Ryan Schleeter, Communications Director for The Climate Center. “We applaud Governor Newsom for … Read more

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Save solar for apartment buildings, schools, and farms!

California must strengthen — not weaken — our state’s program to bring rooftop solar and storage to California’s 16 million renters. Working-class and frontline communities have suffered too long from air pollution, climate disasters, skyrocketing utility bills, and blackouts.  The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently considered proposals from corporate utilities to gut the state’s … Read more

| Blog Post

Resources for communities seeking energy resilience

Picture this: a trusted space in your neighborhood with a community garden, access to childcare, air conditioning, and power that is not interrupted when a disaster strikes. As disasters become more frequent and severe due to climate change, neighborhoods need new tools to build their resilience, especially low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods most impacted by climate … Read more

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Urge your elected officials to fund climate-friendly farms and ranches

Healthy soils on farms and ranches play a key role in drawing down past climate pollution, increasing resilience to drought, floods, and other extremes, and supporting biodiversity and food security. California has set a goal of implementing healthy soils practices on at least 80,000 acres of land every year, which will help increase the longevity … Read more