For more than a decade, California’s leadership on climate change and clean energy has provided cleaner air, a stronger economy, healthier communities, high-quality jobs, less reliance on petroleum, and billions of dollars invested to help our communities thrive.
Under California’s signature emissions reductions programs, launched with AB 32 in 2006 and strengthened with AB 398 in 2017, California is investing billions in proceeds from the state’s largest carbon emitters into a range of projects that reduce carbon emissions. These projects including affordable housing near transit, solar panel installations, forest protection, clean transportation, energy efficiency, and tree planting. Bold policies approved by lawmakers (SB 535 and AB 1550) provide a guaranteed percentage of climate investments are targeted for low-income communities and Californians of color on the front lines of climate change and air pollution to help address local impacts.
California is known for a suite of landmark clean air policies: the Advanced Clean Cars Program (AB 1493), the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015 (SB 350), to name a few. In 2017, the state also passed AB 617 to take steps toward identifying and reducing air pollution in the most impacted communities. These programs keep California at the forefront of clean economy innovation and air pollution reduction, and position the state as a global leader on climate change.
These programs are working. We’re growing our economy (the fifth largest in the world) while successfully reducing emissions and improving air quality. We are generating more power from renewable resources, while growing clean energy jobs.
Fortunately, California leaders do not rest on their laurels, instead we are continuing to build on the state’s successful track record. In 2016, a pair of landmark laws (SB 32 and AB 197) extended California’s carbon reduction goal beyond 2020 and secured a path toward direct pollution reduction for the most impacted communities. A strong defense and implementation of these programs is necessary to continue the progress we’ve made in meeting our carbon pollution reduction goals and ensuring funds are invested directly in the California communities that bear the biggest brunt from pollution.
We have ambitious goals to accelerate our path to 100 percent clean, renewable energy, protect and strengthen our climate programs, and bolster California’s climate leadership in our nation and the world.
We are California Delivers: a broad coalition of businesses, public health professionals, working families, equity organizations, consumer groups, community and faith leaders, environmental organizations, public officials, and other individuals from throughout the state, focused on protecting, implementing, and strengthening the benefits of California’s climate and clean energy leadership to the benefit of all Californians.
Thank you for your support.
