NRDC Experts Blog
By Victoria Rome
The environmental community continued to chalk up wins in the state legislature despite another unusual year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a gubernatorial recall election. We successfully navigated video meetings and remote testimony to advance climate and health policies with the help of coalition partners, environmental champions in the legislature and a committed governor. We also faced some disappointing outcomes and fierce lobbying by powerful interests trying to thwart progress. As the climate crisis marches on, NRDC and our partners will continue to push state leaders for bold policies that can become models for other jurisdictions. There is always more work ahead, but it’s also important to reflect and mark the progress we’ve made. Below are ten key bills that passed the legislature and were signed by Governor Newsom in 2021. Most of these new laws take effect in January 2022 except where noted...
Climate
SB 596 (Becker) requires the California Air Resources Board to develop a comprehensive strategy by July 1, 2023 to reduce the carbon intensity from cement use by 40 percent from 2019 levels by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality in this sector no later than 2045. Read more.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for legislators’ return to Sacramento on January 3, our team and other environmental and public health advocates are working through a fair bit of unfinished business from 2021, and crafting new bills and state budget proposals including:
- Add concrete to the state’s Buy Clean program, to better account for its embodied greenhouse gas emissions, provide incentives for the most climate-friendly products, and align state purchasing with our climate goals (SB 778, Becker)