What’s going on with environmental issues in California in 2026?
California’s climate and water agenda in 2026 is ambitious on paper but complicated in practice. The state is setting historic water supply targets, extending its carbon market, and pushing aggressive decarbonization — while implementation of major programs runs years behind, bond money is getting diverted, and costs are rising fast enough to fracture the political coalition behind climate action. Some Democrats are openly breaking from policies they recently voted for. Meanwhile, federal rollbacks are forcing California to harden its own rules and fight battles in court against the Trump Administration. The underlying tension isn’t really about any single fight — it’s about whether California can hold together the political will to actually deliver on commitments it has already made.
CalMatters environment team:
- Editor: Molly Peterson, [email protected]
- Climate Reporter: Alejandro Lazo, [email protected]
- Water Reporter: Rachel Becker, [email protected]
- Environment / Inequality reporter: Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, [email protected]
Quick Facts
- Wildfires: Emit as much carbon each year as almost 2 million cars.
- Water: State officials warn that climate change could shrink state water supplies by up to 10% by 2040.
- Pollution: More than 90% of Californians breathe unhealthy levels of one or more pollutants during the year.
- Climate: California emits about 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Environment Bills
In Focus
This is a list of all the environment-related bills considered this session. Highlighted bills are selected by CalMatters reporters as among the most significant.
SB 868
Electricity: portable solar generation devices.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
Electricity: portable solar generation devices.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
SB 1039
Air resources: refinery-related community air monitoring system.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
Air resources: refinery-related community air monitoring system.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
SB 887
California Environmental Quality Act: environmental leadership development projects: data centers: clean energy powerplant projects.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
California Environmental Quality Act: environmental leadership development projects: data centers: clean energy powerplant projects.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
AB 1761
Electricity: calculation methodology: data disclosure.
In Progress Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy
Electricity: calculation methodology: data disclosure. Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy
SB 978
Large-scale energy facilities: labor: electricity rates.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
Large-scale energy facilities: labor: electricity rates.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
SB 872
Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
Key Players
Legislative Leaders
These are the key leaders in the Legislature on environment issues, as selected by CalMatters reporters.
Henry Stern
District 27, Sherman Oaks
Scott Wiener
District 11, San Francisco
Lena Gonzalez
District 33, Long Beach
Shannon Grove
District 12, Bakersfield
Jacqui Irwin
District 42, Thousand Oaks
Ben Allen
District 24, El Segundo
Cottie Petrie-Norris
District 73, Irvine
Buffy Wicks
District 14, Oakland
Isaac Bryan
District 55, Culver City
Diane Papan
District 21, San Mateo
Damon Connolly
District 12, San Rafael
Catherine Blakespear
District 38, Encinitas
Non-Legislator leaders
These are the most active players on environment issues based on their testimony in hearings or recorded positions on bills.
