WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Earth Week 2023 showed California means business when it comes to climate action – achieving a major ZEV milestone two years early, launching a new effort to connect Californians with resources, highlighting farm-to-school and turning funding into action across the state.
SACRAMENTO – From significant climate dollars making a big impact, to reaching a major milestone on world-leading zero emission vehicle (ZEV) goals, California celebrated Earth Week in a big way:
- California Surpasses 1.5 Million ZEVs Goal Two Years Ahead of Schedule
- Governor Newsom Launches New ClimateAction.CA.gov Website
- On Earth Day, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom Works to Grow Impact of California’s Farm to School Program
- California Invested $1.3 Billion in Nearly 19,500 Climate Projects in 2022
🎉 1.5 MILLION ZEVs Sold in California
California achieved its goal of 1.5 million zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) sold in the state two years ahead of schedule. This major victory in the state’s ambitious climate action plan was driven by $2 billion in ZEV incentives being distributed to Californians to make the transition more affordable – part of broader $9 billion ZEV investments in the state’s multi-billion dollar climate budget.
- What Governor Newsom said: “No other state in the nation is doing as much as we are to accelerate our electric and zero emissions future. California is setting the bar for climate action – and we’re achieving our goals years ahead of schedule thanks to unprecedented investments secured in partnership with the Legislature. We’re making real progress on the world’s most ambitious plan to end the tailpipe so our kids and grandkids are left with a cleaner, healthier planet.”
💵 Don’t Leave $$ on the Table
On Friday, Governor Newsom announced a new website – ClimateAction.ca.gov – to help Californians save money while fighting climate change. The new website connects Californians with programs that support a transition to a greener, more sustainable future – including zero emission vehicle (ZEV) incentives, home energy upgrades and turf replacement rebates.
🌻 Farm to School in Action
On Earth Day, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, brought together state, local and community leaders for a morning of service, picking up trash, repairing caging for native plants, and clearing out vegetation at Cordova Creek at Soil Born Farms in Rancho Cordova. The group spent the afternoon exploring opportunities to build upon California’s nation-leading Farm to School program, which connects local farmers and food to California students while creating a more sustainable and equitable food system for the betterment of the planet.
- What First Partner Siebel Newsom said: “California’s Farm to School program presents endless possibilities to address so many priority issue areas: the health and well-being of children, moving the food and agriculture industry towards regenerative practices to combat climate change, ok creating sustainable career pathways, bolstering local economies, and building partnership within communities. Given the state’s unprecedented investments in universal school meals and unparalleled agricultural production, California is uniquely positioned to scale up Farm to School and create a healthier, more equitable future for ALL Californians.”
🌳 Your California Climate Dollars at Work
In 2022, California Climate Investments – which are funded by Cap‑and‑Trade proceeds – implemented $1.3 billion in projects throughout the state to cut pollution, create jobs, get people into ZEVs, conserve and restore land, improve public health, and more.
The state has invested more than $9.3 billion under this program statewide since 2014, which has:
- Planted more than 20 million trees in urban and wildland areas
- Conserved or restored 891,000 acres of land
- Funded 10,300 affordable housing units
- Implemented 1,060 projects expanding or creating new transit services
- Supported employment opportunities with over 21,300 jobs
- Issued more than 427,500 rebates for zero‑emission or plug‑in hybrid vehicles
🌎 Earth Week: Golden State Edition
Thousands of Californians across the state celebrated Earth Week by taking climate action into their own hands – and influencers across the state shared their story with us. From recycling food waste and picking up litter on the beach to having conversations at school to tackle climate anxiety and taking a stand against oil drilling in our neighborhoods, these Californians show why “every day is Earth Day” in the Golden State. Plus, California Volunteers’ first-in-the-nation Climate Action Corps Fellows are on the ground in communities across the state making a difference supporting volunteer-led projects during their Earth Month of Climate Action.