Climate change is the most serious issue of our time. It increases the likelihood of tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires. So, how will California’s gubernatorial candidates address climate change?
The Candidate’s Stand on Climate Change: the Good, the Bad, the Nonexistent
The bad news is that only three candidates have plans to address it. Both are Democrats, of course. The three other Democratic candidates have no plans, nor do they mention climate change. The two Republican candidates, Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, are climate change deniers.
The Oil Man Turned Environmentalist
Tom Steyer seems to stand at the top of the pile on environmental issues. During the gubernatorial debate, Steyer said that “good climate policy will make life for Californians not only healthier but more affordable.” His plan is a good climate change policy. It includes making polluters pay to address the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, while setting the “global standard” for disaster response and fire prevention.
Steyer has received endorsements from environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity Fund, California EnviroVoters, Climate Action California, Food & Water Watch, Sonoma County Conservation Action, the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Third Act, and the Natural Resources Defense Council Fund. Acclaimed climate activist Bill McKibben also endorsed him. The Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund (CBDAF) evaluated each candidate. Steyer received an overall grade of A.
Tom has been a climate activist himself for more than 15 years. He defended California’s Cap & Trade program in 2010. He co-chaired and was the chief backer of Proposition 39, also known as the California Clean Energy Jobs Act. He contributed $29.6 million to pass the ballot measure.
There’s just one problem. Steyer lacks any political experience. If elected, he would be in charge of the world’s fourth-largest economy without a clue how to run it.
The One Who Stands Up To Trump
Katie Porter is the other candidate who has a climate change plan. Her climate change plan includes standing up to President Trump’s “endless attacks on our environment,” including his plans to restart offshore drilling on the state’s coast. She vows to invest in renewable energy to accelerate the clean energy transition and make California the first state to achieve $100 clean energy.
Porter served as a House representative for three terms in a congressional district that flipped from Republican to Democratic, becoming the first Democrat to represent it in 75 years. She served on the House Natural Resources Committee and as Chair of its Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. California EnviroVoters and the Climate Center Action Fund both endorse her. She received a B+ grade from the (CBDAF).
The Man Who Accepted Funding From Chevron
Xavier Becerra last served as the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. He mentions transitioning California to clean energy and climate change on his campaign site. He calls for a clean-energy transition, labeling it as “necessary and urgent.” The goal of it is to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while lowering energy costs. The League of Conservation Voters gave him a 91 percent score, but the CBDAF gave him a C+.
However, as California’s state attorney general, Becerra received “big donations,” as Bill McKibben put it in an article, from oil companies. That includes $39,200 from Chevron. But he is also “one of the only candidates who has actually held statewide office or run a big government agency,” as Legal Planet describes him. Still, it’s hard to overlook his collusion with fossil fuel companies, as the article noted.
The Democratic Candidates With No Climate Plans
Matt Mahan not only lacks a climate plan but also rails against California’s gas tax, which funds cleaner gasoline. However, during an interview with CaliforniaPolitics 360, he said that he doesn’t think the state needs to scrap its climate goals to phase out fossil fuel use by 2045.
Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa lack climate plans, but unlike Becerra, they have not received campaign contributions from fossil fuel companies or energy companies.
The CBDAF did not evaluate the three candidates.
The Republicans Who Want Deregulation
Both Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco earned F grades. There are many reasons, including their championing of deregulation, such as scrapping environmental regulations. During an interview with CBS, Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff, said, “The regulations have to go away.” He called for more oil and gas drilling.
Hilton refers to state agencies as nannies “churning out rules and regulations.” He wants to “sunset” the state’s regulatory code, which would eliminate regulations unless they are renewed. He mentions that Idaho did that and reduced regulation by 95 percent. Hilton also wants to repeal the low-carbon fuel standard, change how Cap & Trade taxes are levied, and open up the state to oil and gas production.
