WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: California is building the critical infrastructure and housing we need to achieve our world-leading climate goals, including net-zero carbon emissions and 100% clean electricity by 2045.
NEW YORK – As Governor Gavin Newsom meets with world and national leaders in New York for Climate Week, he’s making one thing clear: California is working to build more, faster to achieve its world-leading climate goals.
The Governor’s focus on building as a solution to the climate crisis represents the next important phase in reaching our ambitious climate goals. We have to build more, faster, and say ‘yes’ to climate-smart projects that support the state’s goals of net-zero emissions and achieving 100% clean electricity.
Watch our video highlighting the Governor’s actions to build more, faster to achieve our world-leading climate goals.
What Governor Newsom said: “To achieve our world-leading climate goals we have to accelerate projects that will power our homes with clean energy, safeguard our drinking water, build homes next to transit and jobs, rebuild our roads and transportation system, and protect communities from worsening extreme weather.”
Here are recent actions Governor Newsom has taken to usher in a new era of building in California:
Accelerating Critical Infrastructure Projects
Earlier this year, Governor Newsom signed into law a slate of bills to accelerate critical infrastructure projects across California that help build our 100% clean electric grid, ensure safe drinking water and boost the state’s water supply and modernize our transportation system.
The new law represents an urgent push by Governor Newsom to take full advantage of an unprecedented $180 billion in state, local, and federal infrastructure funds over the next ten years – critical to achieving California’s world-leading climate and clean energy goals while also creating thousands of good-paying jobs.
By streamlining permitting, cutting red tape, and allowing state agencies to use new project delivery methods, this legislation will maximize taxpayer dollars and accelerate timelines of projects throughout the state, while ensuring appropriate environmental review and community engagement.
Building Our Clean Energy Future
Earlier this year, Governor Newsom announced the “Building the Electricity Grid of the Future: California’s Clean Energy Transition Plan,” showing how California will reach our goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045, while keeping costs affordable and maximizing our energy supply through this transition. The roadmap outlines how California will leverage hundreds of new solar, wind, battery storage, and other clean energy projects to achieve our 100% clean electricity goal.
Housing Near Jobs and Transit
Last month, Governor Newsom announced $757 million in new funding to advance the building of affordable housing in jobs-rich, walkable neighborhoods – part of more than $3 billion that has been dedicated to similar projects in recent years resulting in 17,000 affordable homes and thousands of transportation projects. The latest investment will create more than 2,500 affordable homes, 150 new zero-emissions buses, over 50 miles of new bikeways, and improve miles of sidewalks in communities across the state. Once constructed, the projects will reduce 800,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to taking 178,000 gas-powered cars off California’s roads for one year.
Adding Nearly 1,000 Square Miles of Conserved Land
While the state charges towards building more, faster, California is also prioritizing efforts to conserve some of the world’s most precious lands and waters. In May, California reached 24.4% of lands conserved after adding nearly 1,000 square miles since April 2022 – a monumental step towards achieving the state’s ambitious goal of conserving 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030.
As part of the 30×30 strategy, California has taken unprecedented action to restore wildlife connectivity, improve infrastructure and invest in critical habitat.