Climate Change - Latest News, Updates and Analysis

An aerial view of a large dam spanning a deep blue reservoir, surrounded by rolling green hills covered in trees and shrubs. The water extends into multiple inlets and peninsulas, creating an intricate shoreline. In the background, snow-capped mountains rise above the horizon under a clear blue sky. A hydroelectric facility and other infrastructure are visible near the base of the dam, along with winding roads leading through the landscape.

水

Record heat, melting snow: What does it mean for California’s reservoirs?

A record-baking heat wave is scalding California, with major consequences for the state’s most important reservoir: its snowpack. Providing about a third of the state’s water supply, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a vital source of spring and summer runoff that refills reservoirs when the state needs the water most. But a warm wet storm […]

经过

雷切尔贝克尔

• 3 月 20, 2026

A Fresno resident uses an umbrella to shield herself from the sun as they walk through Tower District in Fresno on Aug. 30, 2022. Temperatures hit 104 degrees as a heatwave begins to hit the San Joaquin Valley. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

环境

California is spending hundreds of millions on heat. Will it ever be a public health priority?

As heat becomes a year-round reality, California is often still responding like it’s an emergency.

经过

安娜·B·伊瓦拉

和

亚历杭德拉·雷耶斯-维拉德

• 3 月 19, 2026

Sprinklers spray water across long, evenly spaced rows of young crops in a farm field, with mist drifting through the air in soft light.

政治

How California lawmakers are trying to speed up spending on voter-approved climate projects

Assemblymember David Alvarez is pushing a proposal to get Prop. 4 dollars out the door faster more than a year after voters approved the state’s biggest climate bond to date.

经过

Nadia Lathan

• 1 月 23, 2026

Firefighters use a hose to put out a fire near the structural remains of a building along the coast. Giant smoke clouds rise from the rubble near the edge of the street.

环境

2025 in review: Devastating fires, federal pushback, and contentious climate compromises

In 2025, devastating California wildfires in LA became the state's most destructive. Climate goals faced federal opposition as Trump blocked clean-car mandates. Refineries closed, water conflicts intensified, and legislators passed compromises.

经过

亚历杭德拉·雷耶斯-维拉德

• 12 月 30, 2025

Water flows along the All-American Canal near Winterhaven on Aug. 13, 2022. The canal conveys water from the Colorado River into the Imperial Valley. California water agencies that rely on the Colorado River, said Wednesday, Oct 5, 2022, that they can reduce their use by up to 400,000 acre feet annually, an amount that's roughly one-tenth of the river water the state receives. Photo by Gregory Bull, AP

水

No deal on the Colorado River despite Trump administration deadline

The federal government has often set deadlines on the Colorado River, but in recent years has rarely enforced them. Negotiations among California and the six other basin states will now continue into next year, as Arizona ramps up its rhetoric and calls for a firmer hand from the Trump Administration in the talks.

经过

雷切尔贝克尔

• 11 月 11, 2025

California Governor Gavin Newsom stands on a stage, speaking into a microphone at a podium that reads “Take It Back,” with his arm extended in front of a giant American flag.

Newsom plays climate warrior, compromiser and coy candidate

Gov. Gavin Newsom attracted national news coverage thanks to Proposition 50 before jetting to Brazil for a climate conference President Donald Trump avoided.

经过

丹·沃尔特斯

• 11 月 11, 2025

A close-up view of a white sign that reads, "COP30 Brasil Amazonia Belem 2025" set up against a brown fence structure.

气候变化

Newsom brings California to the heart of the Amazon — and the U.N. climate conference

California state officials are in Brazil for the annual United Nations climate conference. The visit highlights California’s role as a climate leader and supports its environmental policies, especially since the U.S. has no official federal delegation. However, some critics question whether the trip is worthwhile because California lacks the power to make international agreements.

经过

亚历杭德拉·雷耶斯-维拉德

和

亚历杭德罗·拉佐

• 11 月 11, 2025

A close-up view of the dashboard of an electric vehicle truck that displays a 75 percent battery indicator in neon green letters.

环境

If Trump’s EPA abandons climate policy, could California take over on greenhouse gases?

Legal experts, including a former federal official and UCLA professor, say California could go it alone if the federal government stops regulating greenhouse gases. One reason to try is to protect the state’s clean-car economy.

经过

亚历杭德罗·拉佐

• 11 月 7, 2025

Clouds of smoke and flames illuminate the night sky during a fire at a refinery location.

环境

Federal oversight is disappearing as multiple refineries explode. Who’s in charge now?

An El Segundo refinery fire has renewed questions about who is investigating the state’s oil industry after serious accidents. With the U.S. Chemical Safety Board defunded, California has yet to fill the gap.

经过

亚历杭德罗·拉佐

• 10 月 9, 2025

A group of uniformed soldiers walks down a wide street toward thick plumes of dark smoke rising from burning buildings, with storefronts and signs visible along the roadside.

California’s insurer of last resort was meant to cover ‘riot-prone areas,’ not climate disasters

By continuing to lean on insurance-based solutions to deep-seated societal problems, California has put itself on a path toward repeating the mistakes of the past.

By Bench Ansfield • 10 月 2, 2025