At the end of June, the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA) withdrew its referendum to repeal SB 1137, a law requiring a 3,200-foot health and safety setback zone between toxic oil drilling and homes, schools, and other sensitive sites. California has more than 100,000 unplugged oil and gas wells and nearly one-third of them are … Read more
On July 3, 2024, the California legislature passed SB 867 to put a $10 billion bond to fund climate solutions before voters on the November ballot. To counter massive funding cuts to state climate programs, the bond will provide sustained investment in clean drinking water, wildfire preparedness, sustainable agriculture, and more. The following expert testimony … Read more
On July 1, 2024, SB 59 passed out of the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee by a vote of 12-3. Introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner and sponsored by The Climate Center, SB 59 aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to shore up the electric grid, power homes during outages, and … Read more
For more than two weeks in June, fire crews battled more than 20 fires across California, including the 15,000-acre Post fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Experts are warning Californians to brace for a very active wildfire season. A wet winter that produced more vegetation than usual and record-breaking early heatwaves are already fueling … Read more
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
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
California recently announced ambitious, nation-leading targets for nature-based climate solutions. These new targets were established per AB 1757, signed into law in 2022 thanks to The Climate Center’s collaborative leadership and all of you who took action in support! Over the next 20 years, the state will work to transform more than half of its … Read more
On April 24, 2024, the California Assembly Budget Subcommittee on the Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation met to hear from experts and the public on the proposed 2024-2025 state budget. Facing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, Governor Newsom has proposed billions in potential cuts to climate and energy investments. If approved by the legislature, the … Read more
On April 8, 2024, the California Assembly Committee on Budget met to hear from experts and the public on the proposed 2024-2025 state budget. Facing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, Governor Newsom has proposed billions in potential cuts to climate and energy investments. If approved by the legislature, the cuts could have disastrous consequences for communities … Read more
Against the backdrop of an oil and gas production surge across the United States and alarming warming trends across the globe, a California bill introduced last year is gaining traction to slow fossil fuel expansion. SB 252 (Gonzalez), the California Fossil Fuel Divestment Act, would require the two largest public pension funds in the United … Read more
