CONTACT: Erika Guzman Cornejo, 310-755-1615, erika@envirovoters.org

SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) released the following statement on the Governor’s budget proposal released today, including a proposed cut to last year’s climate investments from $54 billion to $48 billion.

Statement from Mary Creasman, CEO, California Environmental Voters:

“In this moment, California is faced with both economic challenges and climate disasters. The Governor and Legislature’s landmark climate leadership last year was an essential jumpstart in our fight to solve this crisis, but as Californians are pummeled with historic storms and flooding, what’s clear is that there is still much more to be done. 

Decades of inaction have led us to this point. Instead of communities built with green infrastructure that create resilience to flooding that capture, clean, and use stormwater in our fight against the drought, lives, homes, and businesses are being lost. Instead of radically transitioning from fossil fuels years ago–the source of this climate crisis–we are still in the throes of funding and implementing the transition to clean energy that our future depends on. 

Historically, climate action has not been a core funding priority in the state budget. Thankfully this has been changing the last two years – but given how far behind we are, we have to sustain our commitment to climate action every year. This proposed budget doesn’t do that. 

Today’s budget proposal is just the kickoff to a six-month negotiation. California can’t afford a short-sighted budget and we are eager to partner with allies, the Legislature, and the Governor to build on 2022’s progress and show climate justice is still a priority. To further delay these investments will compound the climate crisis and the cost of inaction will be far worse.”

###

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.

Shopping Basket

The month of March is Public Lands Month, and we’ve got some big goals. We’re pushing for 5 national monument designations while fighting for clean water, Indigenous land protection, ecosystem conservation, and increasing access to nature. 

But we need your help to make these campaigns a success →