New report reveals California pensions CalPERS, CalSTRS vote NO on Big Oil shareholder climate resolutions

The retirement systems’ failed shareholder engagement efforts with fossil fuel companies has cost their members $11.9 billion in returns California — A report released today from Fossil Free California reveals that California’s public pensions voted to oppose climate action at major fossil fuel companies and financiers during the 2022 Annual General Meeting season. This exposé…

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Speak Out for Oil Production Setbacks

Oil production has created a public health crisis in our state. More than 5 million Californians live near oil and gas drilling sites where toxic pollutants are released into the air, water, and soil. Studies link proximity to oil and gas wells to a host of health impacts, including cancer, premature mortality, asthma, and other…

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Bringing the Climate Crisis to the State of the State

Newsom Stand Up to Big OIl

The day before Gavin Newsom’s February 19 State of the State address, Consumer Watchdog and the FracTracker Alliance broke the story that the number of oil drilling permits issued in 2019 under Gavin Newsom rival those approved in 2018 under Jerry Brown.  The Daily Kos story asserts: The increase in oil and gas drilling permits…

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California’s Dirty Secrets

People often say that California is a leader in the climate movement—but we still have a lot of work to do to earn our climate cred. While it’s true that the Golden State has made a lot of progress on demand-side solutions (think: electric cars, municipal composting, solar panels), the rest of the world needs…

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Fossil Free California and Four Influential Environmental Groups Warn CalPERS and CalSTRS of Accelerating Climate Risk

Largest U.S. Pension Funds Face New Climate Deadline Last year, with the help of many of you, Fossil Free California succeeded in getting California to pass the first-ever law requiring public pension funds to report on their climate-related financial risk. Senate Bill 964 (Allen, D-Santa Monica) specifically requires the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)…

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California climate action in the time of Trump

While all of us are frightened and grieving at the idea that an avowed climate change denier will lead our nation’s response to the Paris climate agreement, Californians need to take heart and get to work. Our state, the fifth largest economy on the planet and the established climate leader among subnational governments, must step…

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Break Free LA: a Wave of Global Protests

During the first two weeks in May, thousands of people all over the world participated in what organizers have called the largest ever global civil disobedience against fossil fuels, with dozens of activists arrested during protests that shut down coalmines, rail infrastructure and a port. The rally and march in Los Angeles on May 14 was…

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New California Climate Bill Passes First Major Test

Senate Bill 1161, the “California Climate Science Truth and Accountability Act,” passed its first major legislative test on April 20 when the California Senate Environmental Quality Committee voted 5-2 to approve it. The bill by Sen. Ben Allen (Santa Monica) would extend the statute of limitations for companies that knowingly deceive the public about the…

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