A pedestrian walks in Elysian Park in Los Angeles during a heat wave on July 7, 2021.to support a bond measure to help pay for billions of dollars in climate programs endangered by the state’s record deficit and deepening
Climate and public health advocates say cutting or delaying spending on programs that reduce greenhouse gases or help California adapt to climate change will exacerbate natural disasters and weather emergencies and allow air pollution to continue for years to come. The tough budget choices come after the state budget ballooned with record surpluses after the COVID-19 pandemic, buoyed by an influx of federal spending, a soaring stock market and higher earnings, particularly for high-income Californians.
But environmental advocates disagree, saying that the cuts will affect California’s efforts to fight the effects of a warming planet.to meet its ambitious goals unless it almost triples its rate of reducing greenhouse gases through 2030, according to recent“It’s very fair to say we’re slowing down California’s transition to its climate goals and its clean energy goals,” said Barry Vesser, chief operating officer of The Climate Center, an advocacy group.
He said he is wary of another bond measure after suffering a ballot box setback in March, when voters approved his $6.4 billion mental health bond by the slimmest of margins, 50.2% to 49.8%. That experience, Newsom said during his press conference, “sobered, I think, a lot of the conversation up here.”