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Opening remarks from the California Climate Policy Summit 2024

The Climate Center CEO Ellie Cohen opens the third annual California Climate Policy Summit. Photo by Lara Aburamadan / Survival Media Agency.

On March 19, 2024, The Climate Center convened more than 350 climate activists, environmental justice advocates, state decision-makers, elected officials, business leaders, scientists, and policy experts for the third annual California Climate Policy Summit. Thank you to everyone who joined us! Together, we’ll continue building support for climate policy commensurate with what science demands. Read … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Justice Community Energy Resilience Divestment Fossil Fuels Public Health
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Testimony: Cut fossil fuel subsidies, not climate investments

Oil drilling site. Photo via Canva.

On March 21, 2024, the California Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy 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 … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels Transportation
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More reasons why California must stop oil drilling

Neighborhood oil drilling in California

Despite our reputation for climate leadership, California still produces hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil per day. Each day this practice continues, the state is failing millions of residents who face toxic and dangerous conditions in their communities.  In early February in Bakersfield, an oil pipe burst in front of an elementary school, sending … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels Public Health
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Testimony: Save California’s clean air safety net

People protest before a public meeting of South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Hearing Board.

On February 29, 2024, the California Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy met to hear from experts and the public on the proposed 2024-2025 state budget. Facing a projected $73 billion budget deficit, Governor Newsom has proposed billions in potential cuts to climate and energy investments. If approved by the legislature, the … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Public Health Transportation
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Passing 1.5 degrees Celsius and what you can do about it

Last weekend’s storm that knocked out power for 800,000 Californians drove home what climate extremes mean in real life. The storm was yet another record-breaker after a year of climate disruptions that shocked scientists — from record-high temperature averages in 77 countries to severe floods in China, Greece, India, Libya, New Zealand, and the United … Read more

Categories Climate Targets Fossil Fuels
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Soaring utility bills slam working-class Californians

Californians recently got slapped with yet another electricity rate hike. PG&E is blaming the hike on the cost of burying 1,200 miles of power lines to prevent wildfires. California has some of the highest energy costs in the country and electricity rates here have nearly doubled over the past decade, with almost one-third of California … Read more

Categories Clean Energy
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What We Learned at COP28: California Can and Must Do More on Climate

The Climate Center's Marc Victoria, Baani Behniwal, and Barry Vesser at COP28

Last November, The Climate Center’s Barry Vesser, Baani Behniwal, and Marc Victoria traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for COP28 — the UN’s annual climate conference — to help coordinate the California delegation. With a record attendance of 84,000 people from 193 countries, this COP was massive. You may be wondering why The Climate Center, … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Climate Targets Fossil Fuels
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Upcoming community energy resilience funding opportunities

The Community Energy Resilience team at The Climate Center is supporting community-based organizations (CBOs) applying for funds to strengthen their community’s resilience to blackouts and extreme weather. In 2023, both California and the federal government released many funding opportunities to help advance community resilience, including those outlined in my September 2023 blog. In 2024, we … Read more

Categories Community Energy Resilience
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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

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Transportation
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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

Categories Fossil Fuels