| Press Release

California legislative session ends with wins for corporate accountability, but more climate ambition is needed

Capitol Building in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO — Last night, the 2023 California legislative session came to a close. Critical pieces of climate legislation now awaiting Governor Newsom’s signature include: “In a year defined by record-breaking climate disasters across the globe, all eyes have been on California,” said Nicole Rivera, Government Affairs Director for The Climate Center. “State lawmakers stepped up … Read more

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Bill to avoid blackouts using electric vehicle batteries advances from Assembly Transportation Committee

SB 233 will keep the lights on, clean the air, and support climate justice

SACRAMENTO — On July 5, 2023, SB 233 passed out of the Assembly Transportation Committee by a nine to four vote. Introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner and co-sponsored by The Climate Center, Nuvve, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, the bill will require most new electric vehicles (EVs) sold in California to have bidirectional charging … Read more

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California lawmakers approve $6 billion in cuts to climate and energy programs

SACRAMENTO — Today, the California state legislature voted to approve a 2023-2024 budget that cuts $6 billion from the state’s planned investments in climate and clean energy. The cuts represent an 11 percent overall reduction in California’s investments in a climate-safe future. In response, Nicole Rivera, Government Affairs Director for The Climate Center, said: “California’s … Read more

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Senate Appropriations Committee kills SB 12, holding back California’s climate ambition

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 — Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee held SB 12, one of the most ambitious pieces of climate legislation in California this year. Introduced by Senator Henry Stern and sponsored by The Climate Center, the bill would have required California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, … Read more

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Bill for reliable, clean energy using electric vehicle batteries passes out of Senate Appropriations Committee

Smith electric school bus

SACRAMENTO — Today, SB 233 advanced out of the California Senate Appropriations Committee. Introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner and co-sponsored by The Climate Center, Nuvve, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, the bill will require most new electric vehicles (EVs) sold in California to have bidirectional charging capability by 2030 (amended from 2027). Bidirectional charging … Read more

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Governor Newsom follows through on $6 billion cut to climate investments in California budget – The Climate Center response

SACRAMENTO — Facing a projected overall budget deficit of $31.5 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that he intends to follow through on his January proposal to cut $6 billion from climate and energy programs in California’s 2023-2024 budget. If approved by the legislature, that would bring California’s multi-year climate spending down to $48 billion, an … Read more

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New bill leverages California’s electric vehicle boom to avoid power outages

SACRAMENTO — SB 233, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and sponsored by The Climate Center, aims to unlock the potential for California’s millions of electric vehicles to shore up the electric grid and power homes during outages.  The bill will require most new electric vehicles (EVs) and electric vehicle supply equipment sold in California … Read more

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New IPCC report calls for urgent action on climate (again)

United Nations

SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2023 — Earlier today, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its AR6 Synthesis Report. The report points to “more than a century of burning fossil fuels” as the driving force behind the climate crisis, increasingly extreme weather, and instability across the globe.  In response, The Climate Center CEO … Read more

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Bill to accelerate California’s 2030 climate target passes out of first committee

People's Climate March in New York City. Photo by @5byseven.

SACRAMENTO — Earlier today, SB 12, introduced by Senator Henry Stern and sponsored by The Climate Center, passed out of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee by a final vote of five to two. The bill would require California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, accelerating the … Read more

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Meet with lawmakers, activists, and scientists at the California Climate Policy Summit 2023

Dr. J Mijin Cha at the California Climate Policy Summit 2022

SACRAMENTO — The second annual California Climate Policy Summit, hosted by The Climate Center on April 11, 2023, will bring together elected and business leaders, policy experts, activists, and environmental justice advocates to build support for climate policy commensurate with what science demands.  What: Our preliminary agenda includes presentations by scientists, lawmakers, and activists, as … Read more