News

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| Blog Post

How California is preparing for more heat waves

Vue Her on his farm in Singer, California, outside of Fresno. Photo by U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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

| Press Release

California lawmakers vote to approve billions in cuts to climate programs

System Change Not Climate Change

SACRAMENTO — Moments ago, the California legislature passed AB 107, the Budget Act of 2024. As expected following Governor Newsom’s May revise, this budget includes billions in cuts and deferrals to climate spending, impacting programs for wildfire resilience, distributed clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and more. In response, The Climate Center’s Chief Operating Officer Barry Vesser … Read more

| Blog Post

California announces first-of-their-kind nature-based climate targets

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

| Take Action

Tell California leaders to introduce a bond for climate solutions

The climate bond will protect clean air investments and thriving nature in California. Photo via Canva.

Facing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, California is about to walk back critical investments in a climate-safe future. The best pathway we have to protecting climate resilience programs across the state is to introduce a robust, equitable climate bond on November’s ballot. We must act at the speed and scale the climate crisis demands, which means … Read more

| Press Release

With revised budget, Governor Newsom cuts climate investments but protects fossil fuel subsidies

SACRAMENTO — Moments ago, Governor Newsom revealed key details of his May budget revision to be released next week, cementing his intentions to cut billions of dollars from programs designed to clean the air and reduce climate pollution. Despite a multibillion-dollar deficit, the governor is yet to respond to advocates’ calls to eliminate all tax … Read more

| Post

California leaders must save lives, not polluters

Right now, Governor Newsom and the state legislature are in critical budget negotiations. The governor will issue his revised budget proposal on May 14, then the legislature will have until June 15 to vote on the final budget. The governor’s budget still includes billions in potential cuts to climate and clean air investments that would … Read more

| Press Release

Q1 lobbying: Big Oil spends over $7.2 million fighting bills to make polluters pay

Chevron, WSPA biggest spenders, with Chevron putting $3 million into pro-polluter front groups. Big Oil on pace for annual expenditure record.

Chevron is California's top corporate polluter and top spender on lobbying and other tactics to influence to state leaders. Photo by Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons.

SACRAMENTO — Lobbying disclosures for quarter one show that the oil industry spent over $7.2 million to kill California legislation that would make corporate polluters pay their fair share. The top five oil industry spenders alone spent over $6.1 million to influence California state leaders, led by Chevron at over $3 million. The Western States … Read more

| Blog Post

Testimony: Invest now or California’s climate goals will be out of reach

The Fairview Fire killed two people and burned 28,000 acres near Riverside County in 2022. Photo via CALFIRE.

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

| Press Release

Budget cuts threaten California’s progress on natural climate solutions

Farmworker in California's Central Valley. Photo by Canva.

SACRAMENTO — On Monday, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) released a new set of targets for nature-based climate solutions as required by AB 1757 (C. Garcia and R. Rivas, 2022). While the new targets should help California sequester more carbon on our natural and working lands than we emit, they mean little without state … Read more