Climate Change

Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared.

Bikers — many of whom love their noisy combustion engines — say zero-emission motorcycles aren’t ready for long-distance rides. Motorcycles emit an “outsized portion” of smog-causing pollutants.

The state air board will vote on changes to its landmark clean fuel program that would cut more greenhouse gases but could raise the cost of gas and diesel.

Growers support a federal and state proposal for operating California’s massive systems that send river water south. But it could harm more salmon and other endangered fish.

Capturing and storing carbon underground is a big part of California’s efforts to tackle climate change but community members and environmentalists say it prolongs the life of fossil fuels.

An estimated 1 in 5 schools has no air conditioning and another 10% need repair. Underfunded schools struggle to keep classrooms cool as heat waves intensify. "It's a hot mess," one teacher says.

The slowdown comes as the governor lauds his record as tough on oil companies. His administration requested several more years to force companies to detect and fix leaks.

Gov. Newsom blocks legislation to make it easier for California farmworkers to file workers’ comp claims for heat illness. It was backed by their union and opposed by business groups.

Three new oil well laws come after the Newsom administration delayed enforcement of an existing law protecting communities near wells.

A change in California law has set new rules for when young athletes can play and practice in high temperatures, affecting schools and teams across the state.