It’s time for California to go big on climate action

So far in the 2020’s, California has endured extreme heat, the worst wildfires on record, and an emergency-level drought. To stave off the worst impacts of climate change, we need to greatly reduce the pollution that’s causing these extreme weather events and accelerate the transition to clean, renewable energy.

Thanks to decades of state leadership, Congress is finally engaged on climate and recently passed the largest investment it has ever made to address climate change. These new investments in clean energy create a great opportunity for California to continue to lead the way and take bold action.

Gov. Newsom recognizes this opportunity and has called on lawmakers to further accelerate climate action in California. Now the state legislature has a historic opportunity in the last week of the legislative session to leave a lasting legacy by setting bolder, quicker targets for greenhouse gas reductions and for reaching 100% renewable energy.

The governor’s climate package includes the following CALPIRG backed bills: 

• Assembly Bill 2133 by Assemblymember Bill Quirk will increase California’s greenhouse gas reduction targets from 40% to  55% below 1990 levels by 2030. We need to cut the fossil fuel pollution that is driving drought, wildfires and heat waves, while polluting California’s air and making our kids sick. By updating this target and maximizing emissions reductions this decade, we can improve public health, create cleaner air more quickly, and avoid the need for more costly action later.

• Senate Bill 1020 by Senator John Laird will ensure California hits 100% clean electricity sales by 2045 through vital interim targets. In 2018, CALPIRG helped pass SB 100, which made California the first state to commit to 100% clean electricity. We know that transitioning to clean energy like solar and wind will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce asthma rates and other harmful health impacts of dirty air, and save consumers money. This bill will establish an important and ambitious path to clean up the power sector, reaching 90% renewable electricity by 2035, and 95% by 2040.

• Senate Bill 1137 by Senator Lena Gonzalez will create a 3,200-foot health and safety buffer zone near all oil and gas extraction sites, protecting community members in homes, schools and parks from harmful pollutants.

These measures will put our state in a better position to reduce climate impacts and chart a faster, more ambitious pathway to a 100% renewable energy future.

Now it’s time for state lawmakers to act.  This is a chance to make the 2020s the decade of action: the kind of action our children can be proud of, and the kind of action the climate crisis demands. It’s time to act on climate.