In abstract
In 2024 California continued efforts towards environmental management, from voter-approved bonds to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to scale back gasoline costs.
California strived to take care of its environmental management in 2024, with voters approving a $10 billion environmental bond and the state advancing its renewable power targets — all whereas navigating a significant finances deficit.
The Legislature authorised just a few new main environmental insurance policies because the deficit left environmental teams and renewable power advocates clamoring for elevated spending. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature scaled again their “California Climate Commitment” spending bundle to $44.6 billion from $54.3 billion.
Voters authorised Proposition 4a $10 billion bond that may fund initiatives throughout the state that goal to safeguard ingesting water, fight wildfires, defend pure lands and enhance resilience in opposition to floods and excessive warmth.
On the clear power entrance, the state hit a milestone this yr: 100 days with 100% carbon-free, renewable electrical energy for no less than part of every day. The California Vitality Fee authorised a sweeping plan to develop the state’s floating offshore wind trade in ocean waters — a first-of-its-kind effort that may require billions in funding and will rework elements of the coast.
Elsewhere, in an effort to scale back greenhouse gases but hold the oil trade alive, Kern County authorised a mission by the state’s largest oil and gasoline producer to seize hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide and inject it into the bottom. It’s the primary try in California to seize and bury climate-warming greenhouse gases.
Newsom continued his advocacy in opposition to fossil gasoline firms. He declared a particular session aimed toward decreasing gasoline costsalthough a month later, the California Air Assets Board authorised a extremely controversial overhaul of a local weather program, the Low Carbon Gasoline Normal, that seemingly will elevate gasoline costs.
Managing California’s helpful water sources proved fraught in 2024 once more. Colorado River basin states remained at odds over how you can handle their unstable provide. In March, California, Arizona and Nevada agreed to main cutshowever the federal authorities delayed a key environmental evaluate, punting the issue to the incoming Trump administration.
And a choose blocked the state’s first try to implement California’s landmark regulation aimed toward ending the overpumping of groundwater. That case, involving growers within the San Joaquin Valley’s King County, resumes in January.
Low salmon numbers led to a second consecutive closure of the fishing season in California, with a third-year cancellation trying attainable. State officers additionally gave protected standing to the declining white sturgeon whereas federal officers listed the longfin smelt as an endangered species — more likely to influence Delta water operations for years.
The state notched its hottest summer time on filetogether with a file July heatwave and an unusually late October broiler. Regardless of beginning out ominously with the massive, out-of-control Park Fireplace in July, California wound up with a below-average wildfire yr — though greater than one million acres nonetheless burned.
2025 outlook
Donald Trump’s election victory has alarmed state officers and environmentalists whereas the finances troubles will proceed to make spending on local weather and water initiatives a problem.
California’s main water methods, its energy to manage car emissions, federal backing of offshore wind initiatives and wildfire catastrophe help all hinge on cooperation with the incoming Trump administration. On the identical time, prices of state insurance policiessuch because the influence of utility wildfire prevention initiatives on energy payments, for on a regular basis Californians are more and more regarding state lawmakers.
The Trump administration is more likely to problem California’s automobile and truck emission requirements aimed toward decreasing air pollution. Farmers and concrete water districts anticipate leisure of environmental restrictions on Delta water exports.
Extra milestones can be reached towards constructing the expensive and controversial Websites Reservoir and the governor’s Delta tunnel proposal. Within the Klamath River basin, 2025 might convey a resurgence of salmon following the largest dam elimination mission in historical past — what’s been a historic win for the basin’s tribes.
