NEW YORK – As Governor Gavin Newsom meets with world and national leaders in New York for Climate Week, he is making one thing clear: California is building more, faster to meet its world-leading climate goals.
The Governor’s focus on construction as a solution to the climate crisis represents the next important stage in achieving our ambitious climate goals. We must build more, faster, and say “yes” to climate-smart projects that support the state’s goals of net-zero emissions and 100% clean electricity.
Watch our video highlighting the Governor’s actions to build more, faster to meet our world-leading climate goals.
What Governor Newsom said: “To meet our world-leading climate goals, we must accelerate projects that will power our homes with clean energy, protect our drinking water, build homes next to transit and jobs, rebuild our roads and transportation system, and protect communities from worsening extreme weather.”
Below are Governor Newsom’s recent actions to usher in a new era of construction in California:
Accelerating critical infrastructure projects
Earlier this year, Governor Newsom signed a package of bills to accelerate critical infrastructure projects across California that help build our 100% clean electric grid, ensure safe drinking water, strengthen the state’s water supply and modernize our transportation system.
The new law represents an urgent push by Governor Newsom to fully leverage an unprecedented $180 billion in state, local, and federal infrastructure funds over the next 10 years – critical to achieving California’s ground-breaking climate and clean energy goals while creating thousands of dollars more. also. Good paying jobs.
By streamlining permits, cutting red tape, and allowing state agencies to use new methods of project delivery, this legislation will maximize taxpayer dollars and accelerate project timelines across the state, while ensuring proper environmental review and community engagement.
Building our clean energy future
Earlier this year, Governor Newsom announced “Building the Electric Grid of the Future: California’s Clean Energy Transition Plan,” outlining how California will achieve our goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045, while keeping costs affordable. Our energy supply is increased through this transmission. The roadmap outlines how California will leverage hundreds of solar, wind, battery storage and other clean energy projects to achieve our goal of 100% clean electricity.
Living near jobs and transit
Last month, Governor Newsom announced $757 million in new funding to boost the construction of affordable housing in job-rich, walkable neighborhoods — part of more than $3 billion allocated to similar projects in recent years that have created 17,000 affordable homes and thousands Of residences. Transportation projects. The latest investment will create more than 2,500 affordable homes, 150 new zero-emission buses, more than 50 miles of new bikeways, and improved miles of sidewalks in communities across the state. Once constructed, these projects will reduce 800,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 178,000 gas-powered cars off California’s roads for one year.
Adding nearly 1,000 square miles of preserved land
As the state seeks to build 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% conservation after adding nearly 1,000 square miles since April 2022 – a huge step toward achieving the state’s ambitious goal of conserving 30% of its coastal lands and 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.