Net-Zero Emissions Bill Advances in the California State Senate

(Sacramento, CA — Aug 26, 2021) Today, the California State Senate Appropriations Committee moved the Climate Crisis Act (AB 1395), co-authored by Assembly Members Al Muratsuchi and Cristina Garcia, off of the suspense file to the Senate floor for debate. The bill would codify California’s commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and no later than 2045. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to ensure that California directly reduces emissions 90% below 1990 levels by 2045.

“The Climate Crisis Act should be a top priority for legislators as Californians face yet another destructive wildfire season and as the world’s leading climate scientists issue increasingly dire warnings about the costs and frequency of climate-fueled disasters.

“While it’s essential that California act urgently to slash climate-warming pollution this decade, the state also needs a clear long-term vision that aligns with the latest science. This bill will secure our commitment to protect our families and communities, economy and ecosystems from even worse climate damages. Locking in a pathway that gets the state to net-zero by no later than 2045 ensures that the legislature, communities and businesses can start planning, with certainty, for a safer future today.

“How we meet that net-zero target matters enormously — we need to maximize emission reductions from pollution sources as swiftly as possible. At the same time, both nature-based and technology-based solutions that permanently remove carbon from the air will also need to be a part of our toolkit. The Climate Crisis Act ensures that these strategies are deployed with environmental integrity front of mind, and that solutions meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions do not harm local air quality or public health, especially in communities historically overburdened by pollution.

“We thank Assembly Members Al Muratsuchi and Cristina Garcia for their leadership, and are excited to see this bill continue to move through the Senate and quickly to Governor Newsom’s desk.”

• Katelyn Roedner Sutter, Senior Manager for U.S. Climate