News

Check out The Climate Center featured in other publications in In The News

| Press Release

Governor Newsom signs first-in-the-nation bidirectional EV charging bill into law

SB 59 (Skinner) is designed to prevent power outages, lower energy bills, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels

SACRAMENTO — Last night, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 59 (Skinner) into law. SB 59 authorizes the California Energy Commission (CEC) to require that classes of electric vehicles (EVs) sold in California have bidirectional charging capability, which makes it possible to use the enormous amount of energy stored in EV batteries to shore up the … Read more

| Post

How did the California legislature do on climate this year?

Climate champions in the state legislature introduced critical bills this year aimed at supporting affordable and reliable clean energy and forcing oil and gas corporations to clean up their pollution.  Four key bills survived and, with your help, could soon become law if signed by Governor Newsom: With major support from you and from across … Read more

| Blog Post

We’re making polluters pay

At the end of August, we gathered 50+ climate activists in Sacramento for a ’Make Polluters Pay’ rally to highlight three critical bills pending before California lawmakers:  Shortly after the rally, with thanks to your phone calls and letters to decision-makers, all three bills passed the legislature and now await the governor’s signature!  A new … Read more

| Blog Post

A critical climate bond is on the November ballot

Thanks to climate activism across the state, including over 1,000 of The Climate Center’s supporters, a $10-billion climate resilience bond will be on the November ballot. The climate bond, known as Prop 4, includes urgently needed protections against extreme heat, wildfire, sea level rise, and flooding, as well as critical investments in clean water. The … Read more

| Blog Post

How heat waves made the climate a top election issue

March for climate justice in San Francisco. Photo by Xanh Tran / Survival Media Agency.

With an anti-science, climate-denying, far-right extremist officially the Republican nominee for president, it might feel like public support for climate action is dwindling. But recent polling tells a much more encouraging story.  For the first time, a majority of American voters across party lines say they want the country to do more to address the … Read more

| Take Action

Urge state officials to transition to equitable, affordable, and clean transportation fuels

In 2023, Governor Newsom signed SBX1-2, which aims to prevent fuel price-gouging. The law includes a provision for the California Energy Commission and California Air Resources Board (CARB) to conduct a Transportation Fuels Assessment and develop a Transportation Fuels Transition Plan that will determine how the state transitions to clean fuels. CARB will be starting … Read more

| Blog Post

No more drilling where we’re living

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

| Blog Post

Testimony: Californians deserve a chance to vote for the climate this November

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

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

| Blog Post

Testimony: Making electricity more affordable and reliable using EVs

Person charging EV

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