“Climate activists across California are celebrating because today’s signatures will improve our quality of life and solidify California’s place at the forefront of climate action. The road getting here has been long but these victories over corporate polluters like Big Oil make it all worthwhile.”
For three years, California passed almost NO major climate legislations … until this year. 2022 has been a landmark year of climate action in California. Watch as EnviroVoters’ climate lobbyist Melissa Romero breaks down this historic year of climate legislation in California:
As climate budget negotiations continue into summer, California needs a bold multi-year plan backed by more funding to credibly ensure victory in the climate fight
Governor’s commitment to resolve concerns with the energy trailer bill brings relief since the bill deepens our dependency on fossil fuels and widens inequality
CONTACT: Veda Banerjee, (510) 844-0229
(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Mary Creasman, CEO at California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters), released the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature of the state budget, which includes $21 billion for climate and energy, and the energy budget trailer bill. She expressed relief over the governor’s commitment to resolve key concerns about how the trailer bill increases California’s reliability on old, dirty power plants, eliminates environmental review of increased fossil fuel dependency, and scraps public opportunities to fight back.
“This climate budget outline signed today begins to get at the scale of investment needed to protect Californians from drought, extreme heat, wildfires, and pollution. But the devil is in the details, and voters deserve transparency and clarity on timing and details of this climate funding: what’s being counted, when the funding will be allocated, and what programs are being funded. The governor and legislature still have a chance to truly double down on the climate crisis as the legislature reconvenes in August. Our leaders need to increase these numbers and craft a multi-year commitment that will save our future. Today’s Supreme Court ruling limiting the federal government’s authority to fight climate change shows just how critical state leadership and action will be in the climate fight.
“In addition, we should all be watching and holding our leaders accountable to addressing the deeply troubling changes to California’s energy policy signed today; the Governor’s commitment to resolve our concerns before the end of August is promising. Various lawmakers cited this commitment as a condition for their votes, and we look forward to working with them and the administration to craft strong guardrails for how our power supply relies on more polluting power when under stress. California must clearly prioritize clean energy development first, ensure environmental review, and protect public engagement in the prolonged use of old fossil fuel plants that should otherwise be shuttered. Absent these changes, this bill jeopardizes our climate fight by deepening our dependency on fossil fuels and widening inequality by silencing frontline communities of color forced to endure even more pollution.”
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California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
Mike Young, Political Director at California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters), released the following statement in response to the budget agreement announced by Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders, including AB 205/SB 122 – the energy budget trailer bill. The contents of the trailer bill increase California’s reliability on old and dirty power plants and were negotiated behind closed doors by Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders.
As the clock runs out on state budget negotiations, a growing campaign of organizations led by California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) is blanketing the Capitol with new ads urging Governor Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins to stop kicking the can down the road on climate and pass a Climate Courage Budget.
Mary Creasman, Chief Executive Officer of the California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters), released the following statement in response to yesterday’s passage of a $300 billion dollar state budget from the State Legislature. While the Legislature’s budget includes $21 billion in climate and energy funding, it lacks details about how it will be allocated and whether it is one-time funding or funded over multiple years.
Mary Creasman, Chief Executive Officer of the California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters), released the following statement in response to the climate provisions included in the budget agreement announced by state legislative leadership yesterday.
Given that California has a historic budget surplus of over $97 billion, now is the time to make a down payment on our future and double down on our climate investment. Governor Newsom’s budget proposals are historic but insufficient to meet our biggest challenge: making California fossil fuel free in a way that is economically and racially just. We need to invest 5% of the state budget on climate. Watch our video to learn more about what a Climate Courage Budget entails.
“It’s exciting to see an even bigger climate investment proposed today but Governor Newsom and lawmakers must double down on investments in clean air, energy, transportation, and other infrastructure. But more is needed. This is an existential threat and their job is to ensure victory in the fight. Saving California requires a budget with many unprecedented actions. We have the know-how and the resources. We just need leaders to unleash them by passing a Climate Courage Budget that invests at least $75 billion over five years.”
“…only a massive investment in climate solutions can overcome the massive threats of wildfires, drought, extreme heat, and pollution.” “Another future is possible. Californians need our Governor, Senate and Assembly leaders to summon the climate courage needed to save our state.”
California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) kicked off its #ClimateCourageBudget campaign by blanketing the Capitol region with digital ads and a billboard off I-5 near Sacramento International Airport urging the Governor and lawmakers to double down and think bigger to pass a state budget that ensures victory in the fight against climate change.
Today, California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) assigned its first D grade (67%) to the state for its inaction on the climate crisis in 2021. The grade is included in the organization’s annual California Environmental Scorecard, a comprehensive analysis of where the state’s political leaders stand on the environment and the climate crisis.
California Environmental Voters is focused on building the political power to solve the climate crisis, advancing justice, and creating a roadmap for global action. We are California’s voice, statewide and nationally, for bold climate action. We elect and cultivate environmental champions, turn election victories into policy wins, hold our lawmakers accountable, and build political power to transform our political system and achieve climate justice. Learn more about what we do.
We hope you can join us on Friday, May 31, 2024 in Los Angeles for an evening of music, drinks, and small bites at LA’s coolest party as we celebrate this year’s Badass in Green Honorees! Through April 26, we are running our Earth Week Special — buy one ticket, get another one free.
