Climate Solutions

Protecting our communities from the devastating and far-reaching impacts of climate change and supporting policies and programs that advance the clean energy transition.

Climate & Clean Energy Leads

Jamie Pew

Policy Advisor james.pew@nextgenpolicy.org

Climate & Clean Energy Leads

Arnold Sowell Jr.

Executive Director

Our Record of Advancing California’s Climate Leadership

NextGen Policy works to advance California’s clean energy future, breaking down barriers to a faster and fairer transition away from fossil fuels.

12+

Over a dozen world-leading climate policies passed.

$54 Billion

In 2022, we helped grow the state’s climate investments from a proposed $22 billion to an unprecedented $54 billion.

Climate 100: Budgeting for a Better Future

NextGen Policy’s Climate 100 project aims to ensure every taxpayer dollar supports California’s climate progress by aligning public spending with clean energy, environmental justice, and community resilience priorities.

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Read our latest report

The $54 Billion California Climate Commitment has evolved over the years. Find out how the state can make a more sustainable investment in climate programs in the face of costly climate disasters and a constantly changing budget landscape.

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Climate Policy Wins

NextGen Policy has been at the forefront of legislative and regulatory battles to advance world-pioneering climate policies:

AB 3233 - Local Oil Drilling Regulations, 2024 (Addis)

Protects local communities’ right to ban oil drilling – clarifying the rulings in two recent state Supreme Court decisions.

AB 1866 - Idle Oil Well Clean-Up, 2024 (Hart)

Requires oil companies to plug idle wells, increases fees for failure to do so, and protects communities from environmental threats.

SB 219 - Corporate Climate Accountability, 2024 (Wiener)

Provides the pathway to implement the Corporate Climate Accountability Act which requires corporations to disclose and report on their greenhouse gas emissions.

California at a Crossroads, 2023

Published a New Analysis on the State Transportation Agency's Impact on Climate Efforts

SB 1020 – 100% Clean Electric Grid, 2023 (Laird)

Sets interim targets on the road to meet the state’s 2045 goals to generate 100% clean energy. SB 1020 – 100% Clean Electric Grid (Laird)

SB 253 - Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, 2023 (Wiener)

Requires all US-based businesses with over $1 billion in gross annual revenue, that do business in California, to disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory annually.

SB 261 – Climate-related Financial Risk Disclosure Act, 2023 (Stern)

Requires certain entities doing business in California to prepare and submit climate-related financial risk reports consistent with recommendations from the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD).

SBx1 -2 – Ending Oil Price Gouging, 2023 (Skinner)

Ending Oil Price Gouging (Skinner)Empowers the CA Energy Commission (CEC) with greater oil industry oversight, specifically to increase transparency related to oil prices and penalties for companies that engage in price gouging.

SB 1137 – Protect Communities Against Oil Drilling, 2022 (Gonzalez)

Requires a buffer zone setback around new oil and gas wells to protect vulnerable Californians.

AB 1279 – The CA Climate Crisis Act: Carbon Neutrality, 2022 (Muratsuchi)

Codifies the state’s existing goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.

Energy Commission Decision, 2018

Stopped the construction of the Puente Power Plant

AB 617, 2017 (Garcia)

Enacted the Community Air Emissions Reduction Program

AB 3233 - Local Oil Drilling Regulations, 2024 (Addis)

Protects local communities’ right to ban oil drilling – clarifying the rulings in two recent state Supreme Court decisions.

AB 1866 - Idle Oil Well Clean-Up, 2024 (Hart)

Requires oil companies to plug idle wells, increases fees for failure to do so, and protects communities from environmental threats.

SB 219 - Corporate Climate Accountability, 2024 (Wiener)

Provides the pathway to implement the Corporate Climate Accountability Act which requires corporations to disclose and report on their greenhouse gas emissions.

California at a Crossroads, 2023

Published a New Analysis on the State Transportation Agency's Impact on Climate Efforts

SB 1020 – 100% Clean Electric Grid, 2023 (Laird)

Sets interim targets on the road to meet the state’s 2045 goals to generate 100% clean energy. SB 1020 – 100% Clean Electric Grid (Laird)

SB 253 - Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, 2023 (Wiener)

Requires all US-based businesses with over $1 billion in gross annual revenue, that do business in California, to disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory annually.

SB 261 – Climate-related Financial Risk Disclosure Act, 2023 (Stern)

SBx1 -2 – Ending Oil Price Gouging, 2023 (Skinner)

SB 1137 – Protect Communities Against Oil Drilling, 2022 (Gonzalez)

Requires a buffer zone setback around new oil and gas wells to protect vulnerable Californians.

AB 1279 – The CA Climate Crisis Act: Carbon Neutrality, 2022 (Muratsuchi)

Codifies the state’s existing goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.

Energy Commission Decision, 2018

Stopped the construction of the Puente Power Plant

AB 617, 2017 (Garcia)

Enacted the Community Air Emissions Reduction Program

AB 3233 - Local Oil Drilling Regulations, 2024 (Addis)

Protects local communities’ right to ban oil drilling – clarifying the rulings in two recent state Supreme Court decisions.

AB 1866 - Idle Oil Well Clean-Up, 2024 (Hart)

Requires oil companies to plug idle wells, increases fees for failure to do so, and protects communities from environmental threats.

SB 219 - Corporate Climate Accountability, 2024 (Wiener)

Provides the pathway to implement the Corporate Climate Accountability Act which requires corporations to disclose and report on their greenhouse gas emissions.

California at a Crossroads, 2023

Published a New Analysis on the State Transportation Agency's Impact on Climate Efforts

SB 1020 – 100% Clean Electric Grid, 2023 (Laird)

Sets interim targets on the road to meet the state’s 2045 goals to generate 100% clean energy. SB 1020 – 100% Clean Electric Grid (Laird)

SB 253 - Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, 2023 (Wiener)

Requires all US-based businesses with over $1 billion in gross annual revenue, that do business in California, to disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory annually.

SB 261 – Climate-related Financial Risk Disclosure Act, 2023 (Stern)

SBx1 -2 – Ending Oil Price Gouging, 2023 (Skinner)

SB 1137 – Protect Communities Against Oil Drilling, 2022 (Gonzalez)

Requires a buffer zone setback around new oil and gas wells to protect vulnerable Californians.

AB 1279 – The CA Climate Crisis Act: Carbon Neutrality, 2022 (Muratsuchi)

Codifies the state’s existing goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.

Energy Commission Decision, 2018

Stopped the construction of the Puente Power Plant

AB 617, 2017 (Garcia)

Enacted the Community Air Emissions Reduction Program

State Budget Wins!

NextGen Policy has been instrumental in securing state funding for policies that:

Extended the Cap and Trade program to secure continued funding for climate advancements (AB 398, 2017)
$130 million – Established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund to address inadequate drinking water sites in the state (SB 200, 2019)
Won Prop 39 School Clean Energy and Electric School Bus Funding (2012–2021)
$54 Billion – For the California Climate Commitment to address both the causes and the impacts of the climate crisis

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