Image by Nicole Glass PhotographyOPINION – When Gov. Newsom announced last week that California was suing five major oil companies and an industry trade group for alleged climate damages, he sent an unmistakable message to businesses that pollute our environment: You can no longer wreck our climate or damage public health for profit with impunity, and you will have to pay for the damage you cause.
Tracking emissions, image by Travel maniaOPINION – A new proposal nearing passage in the Legislature threatens the delicate balance of consensus between environmentalists and the business community. Senate Bill SB 253 would place significant new burdens on businesses – including medium and small businesses – without removing a single molecule of carbon dioxide or other climate pollutants from the atmosphere.
A photo illustration of carbon-neutral wind power, and fossil-fuel power generation. (Photo: satit_srihin, via Shutterstock)California is known across the country as a trendsetter in climate regulations, with tough emissions standards and sweeping environmental protections. Freshman state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), however, is pushing for more ambitious carbon-neutral rules that could move California further ahead of the rest of the nation. The effort, praised by environmentalists, has drawn fire from utility workers and gas companies.
A path into a Northern California redwood forest. (Photo: C. Levers, via Shutterstock)OPINION: As a 34-year employee of Cal Fire, I am deeply familiar with the consequences of state policy that for too long emphasized putting out all wildfires, rather than emphasizing the natural restorative role fire plays in California’s landscapes. With Gov. Newsom’s new $1 billion wildfire budget, we have an opportunity to prioritize wildfire resilience rather than just wildfire suppression.
California wind turbines provide electricity carried through nearby power lines. (Photo: Mark Higgins, via Shutterstock)
OPINION: As finger-pointing continues over California’s rolling blackouts, some are trying to pin the blame to renewable energy. They are wrong. It’s clear that California’s ambitious renewable energy efforts were not at fault.
A powerplant at sunset. (Photo: David Crockett)OPINION: As Hollywood brings a new crop of super-hero movies to our theaters, state policymakers are considering action against a group of particularly nefarious villains known as “super-pollutants.” These contaminants, including black carbon and methane, are both rapidly warming our planet and also damaging human health.