California Steps Up: A Game-Changing Moment for Climate Accountability
Welcome to our new subscribers! You're joining at a pivotal moment in the fight for climate accountability.
This morning, California legislators introduced what could become the nation's most significant climate accountability law: the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act. The timing is almost painfully perfect – as Los Angeles still smolders from January's devastating fires, the Trump administration just announced plans to gut federal disaster response capacity by 84%.
The bill's introduction marks another critical shift in how we address the mounting costs of the climate crisis. No more polite requests for fossil fuel companies to maybe, possibly, pretty-please help clean up their mess. No more leaving taxpayers to shoulder 100% of the burden while ExxonMobil's CEO Darren Woods pockets a cool $36,919,898 salary (that's $101,150 per day, if you're counting).
What's in the Bill
Think of it as a long-overdue invoice to Big Oil. The legislation creates a comprehensive program to assess damages and collect funds from major polluters based on their historical emissions. These funds – potentially hundreds of billions – would strengthen flood protection infrastructure, upgrade emergency response systems, install community cooling centers, harden homes against wildfires, and so much more.
The best part? Seven in ten California voters support this approach. Turns out people aren't thrilled about paying for climate disasters while Exxon and Chevron rake in over $50 billion in combined profits.
Why This Moment Matters
If you’ve been following this Substack, you know California isn't acting alone. This bill builds on groundbreaking legislation passed in New York and Vermont, creating unstoppable momentum for the climate accountability movement. New York's law alone will raise $75 billion over 25 years – not bad for a "radical" idea the industry claimed would never work.
The industry knows what's at stake. They spent $30 million fighting California's previous climate superfund bill – one of the most intense opposition campaigns in recent state history. Why? Because they recognize this approach works.
Looking Ahead: The Fight We Need
This isn't just another climate bill. It's a direct challenge to an industry that's mastered the art of privatizing profits while socializing disaster costs. As insurance companies abandon high-risk areas and state budgets buckle under repeated disasters, this legislation offers a practical path forward.
For those wanting to dive deeper (or arm yourself with economist-approved comebacks to industry talking points), Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz breaks down the economic soundness of climate superfund laws here:
What's Next
We'll be tracking this bill's progress closely and supporting similar efforts across the country. The fossil fuel industry will undoubtedly roll out their usual scare tactics about consumer costs – but we've seen this playbook before, and we know how to counter it.
This is the accountability moment we've been waiting for. The question isn't whether communities will pay for climate disasters – they already are. The question is whether we'll finally make the polluters pay their fair share.
More soon!
PS: Working on climate accountability? Or ready to Make Polluters Pay in your state? Reach out to cassidy@fossilfree.media to join the fight!