Climate Change

President Trump has threatened to roll back Obama-era standards, jeopardizing a decades-old exemption that lets California make its own clean air rules.

Californians want the state to lead the world in fighting climate change, according to a new poll — and many are ready to tackle the problem on the road, at the ballot box, and even with their pocketbooks. 

California made its own tailpipe emissions deal with four major carmakers, officials said Thursday, ignoring Trump administration threats to roll back Obama-era vehicle standards.

California’s climate change enforcers are grappling with the thorniest of controversies: how to prevent the planet’s tropical forests from disappearing. The question they aren’t ready to answer—at least not yet—is what focusing on far-away forests could mean for pollution at home.

Combat climate change, or clean up the water? Legislators chose to dip into a greenhouse gas fund to fight California’s drinking water problem. The move alarmed environmentalists and legislators on both sides of the aisle — but it could soon become the norm.

For carbon-free transportation, California must cover a lot more ground soon. But by some estimates, electric truck fleets could still be a decade away.

Automakers backed Obama-era rules on car emissions and gas mileage, then asked President Trump to change them. Now the companies fear a long Washington-California court fight.

After efforts to unite the West under a carbon-trading program stalled for nearly a decade, Oregon will decide this month whether it wants to follow in California’s footsteps. This bill would make Oregon the second state after California to rely on the market for emissions reductions throughout the entire economy. Supporters say that expanding the cap-and-trade market to Oregon could increase competition, lower compliance costs, and speed decarbonization of the West. But others worry a failure in Oregon could hurt carbon trading's chances in other states.

California transportation officials warn the fight over passenger vehicle standards might affect air quality, construction jobs, the economy — and ensure Californians stay stuck in traffic.

Unless the emissions trend is reversed, the state could stall on its route to clean air.