Press Release
January 28, 2020
CONTACT:
[email protected] | Jennifer Molina – 323.939.6791
CLCV Names Climate Action Caucus and Polluter Caucus
SACRAMENTO – Today the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) released a new and improved 2019 California Environmental Scorecard to better reflect the urgency of the climate crisis. The California Environmental Scorecard will help California voters better understand how our state is taking action to address our climate crisis. CLCV’s Scorecard doubles down on accountability and for the first-time scores California’s overall performance and rates the Assembly and Senate Democratic and Republican caucuses on their leadership in fighting climate change.
The 2019 CLCV Environmental Scorecard shows that if we are serious about meeting our environmental goals, California lawmakers must push bold and transformative solutions. After measuring how lawmakers voted on key environmental legislation and the Governors’ and his administration’s executive actions, California received a C- (71%), only seven – four Assembly members and three Senators—out of the 120 legislators scored 100%, and Governor Gavin Newsom scored 85%.
“After a year of feeling the worsening impacts of climate inaction, we took it upon ourselves to look at state government differently,” said Mary Creasman CEO of the California League of Conservation Voters. “Californians deserve more than inadequate goals and incremental action, we need swift implementation and visionary change. At CLCV, our hope is to help legislators use this scorecard as an instrument for change. We have 10 years, the time to act is now.”
Climate change is top of mind for California voters. In a UC Berkeley poll conducted recently, 85% of likely voters in California’s Democratic primary said climate change was a top priority, and 47% said climate change should be the leading priority of the next president – higher than any other issue.
In 2019, California experienced the devastating impacts of climate inaction – wildfires, flooding, high costs of reconstruction and worsening air pollution. For this reason, CLCV selected a list of key issues that encompass needed environmental action to create a clean energy economy; protect communities from pollution; protect natural resources and open spaces; strengthen democracy and build sustainable transportation and land use that were the basis our scoring.
The legislators who scored a perfect score, led in authoring legislation to fight back big oil, protect public health, preserve our natural environments and protect communities from air pollution and toxic chemicals.
Bold action deserves recognition, which is why this year CLCV created a Climate Action Caucus to highlight those leaders who had the political will to introduce bold environmental action. The legislators in the Climate Action Caucus include:
- Senator Bill Monning – Water Champion
- Senator Connie Leyva – Clean Air Ambassador
- Assemblymember Monique Limón – Climate Queen
- Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi – Climate Action All-Star
- Assemblymember Luz Rivas – Freshman of the Year
CLCV also created a Polluter Caucus for those who are standing in the way of climate solutions. The Caucus includes a list of five legislators who have rolled back or halted our progress to protect the environment. The legislators include:
- Senator Anna Caballero
- Senator Steven Glazer
- Assemblymember Jim Frazier
- Assemblymember Rudy Salas
- Assemblymember Blanca Rubio
In addition, we rated party caucuses by taking the average scores in the Senate and Assembly since each party caucus is responsible for holding members accountable. CLCV tallied the scores by averaging the scores of individual Democratic and Republican caucuses. The Assembly Democratic Caucus scored 85%, the Assembly Republican Caucus scored 18%, the Senate Democratic Caucus scored 87%, and the Senate Republican Caucus scored 23%.
California’s current environmental protections continue to face attacks by the Trump Administration. While California Attorney General Xavier Becerra fights for us in courts, the state legislature and Governor can and should seek ways to push our policies forward and ensure rapid implementation that addresses the needs of all communities. Scientific studies continue to raise red flags about our current approach to addressing the climate crisis. We now know that we have ten years – until 2030 to stop the catastrophic impacts. California lawmakers are equipped with the information and the will of the voters, with CLCV’s new approach to accountability we hope to see fast and rapid bold transformative action.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
