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California Climate Justice

Climate Action Planning

To help California and the many states and metropolitan areas engaging in comprehensive climate action planning across the country, we have studied how California integrated environmental justice into its longstanding “scoping plan” process. Our October 2024 report, Environmental Justice in State Climate Planning: Learning from California, offers analysis and recommendations to ensure that planning processes achieve EPA’s central environmental justice goals.

A group of individuals gathered together

Lessons from California’s 2022 Scoping Plan

Since 2006, California has prepared “scoping plans” that integrate the state’s multiple strategies for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the state’s increasingly stringent emissions targets. The most recent update was approved in December 2022.

California’s longstanding experience can inform the many states and local governments that are currently preparing “Comprehensive Climate Action Plans” (CCAPs) with funding from EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program (CPRG). Forty-five states and numerous metropolitan areas (as well as Tribes) are preparing CCAPs that must specify emission reduction measures, establish responsibilities and milestones, and assess environmental justice benefits. 

In Environmental Justice in State Climate Planning: Learning from California, we analyze how California developed its scoping plan and the strengths and weaknesses of its approach, including the role of the state’s Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. Our recommendations can help policymakers and advocates in California and across the country who are working on plans to translate climate goals into action and advance environmental justice. 

Our related October 2024 webinar presents highlights from the report and includes commentary from California environmental justice and agency officials who participated in the process, as well as perspectives from an EPA official in the CPRG program.

States and Metropolitan areas preparing Comprehensive Climate Action Plans (due December 2025). Map source: U.S. EPA.

Our Impact and Publications

Report: Environmental Justice in State Climate Planning

Our October 2024 report offers analysis and recommendations to ensure that planning processes achieve EPA’s central environmental justice goals.

Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant Information

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published guidance on its formula grants for climate planning.

Comprehensive Climate Action Plans: What’s a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Measure?

Our June 2024 issue brief explores what counts as a “greenhouse gas reduction measure” in state and local climate action plans.

Final 2022 Scoping Plan

On December 15, 2022, California finalized its 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality.

The Center’s Scoping Plan Comments

In June 2022, the Center for Progressive Reform submitted comments on the draft 2022 scoping plan from the California Air Resources Board.

Public Interest Advocate Testimony

The Center for Progressive Reform joined other advocates in testifying on the scoping plan in December 2022.

Photograph at top courtesy of Shane Ysais, Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ).