56 ways California has honored Earth Day as Trump wages war on the planet

SACRAMENTO - Earth Day was born on California's coastline in 1970, and 56 years later, California is still honoring it. Today, as Donald Trump wages war on the environment, public health, and scientific truth, we are reminded of the late conservationist and former U.S. Senator and Governor of Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson. In 1969, he shined a national spotlight on an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara. This was the catalyst for the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970.

The result: people and communities rallied across the nation to demand action on pollution and environmental protection. By December 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had been established, and the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act had all been passed.

More than 50 years after California inspired Earth Day, the Golden State continues to lead by example.

Earth Day has always been a reminder that when people from all walks of life come together, progress is unstoppable. Donald Trump has spent his presidency harming the planet and people. Meanwhile, California is delivering on our commitments. Leaving this planet better than we found it for generations is the California way.

Governor Gavin Newsom

Today, the Governor's office is highlighting 56 climate announcements (to name just a few) from the past year alone as proof that the Golden State is committed to delivering ambitious climate policies, innovation, public health, environmental stewardship, and subnational leadership around the world.

Here are 56 of our notable announcements since the last Earth Day (a snapshot of progress, not a complete list):

1. Largest economy in the world to achieve power by two-thirds clean energy
2. Extended Cap-and-Invest through 2045 to cut climate pollution
3. Authorized a regional electricity market with other states to lower costs and improve grid reliability
4. Launched $55 million incentive program to expand public electric vehicle charging
5. Improved the state's fast-track clean energy permitting program to accelerate project development
6. Reached historic levels of clean energy and zero-emission vehicle sales
7. California is home to the most clean energy jobs in the U.S.
8. California was running on 100% clean electricity for at least part of the day on more than 9 out of 10 days
9. With Trump AWOL, led global climate action at COP30 and inked international partnerships with Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Nigeria
10. Built the nation's largest EV charging network, with more than 200,000 chargers statewide - 68% more than the state's gasoline nozzles
11. Added more than 2,100 new affordable homes to low-income and unhoused Bay Area residents, thanks to state-funded cleanup
12. First-in-the-nation methane satellite data helped stop major leaks - equal to taking 18,000 cars off the road for a year
13. Grew the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world
14. Expanded vegetation management and prescribed burns
15. Launched CalHeatScore - a lifesaving heat-ranking tool to protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves
16. Conserved over one million acres of land and coastal waters
17. Naturally-produced coho salmon returned to the Russian River's upper basin - a first in more than 30 years
18. Launched the first new conservancy in 15 years at the Salton Sea
19. Restored shallow water habitats in the Salton Sea as part of the state's first major habitat restoration in the region
20. Doubled down on ocean health with historic investments and landmark report findings
21. Announced 300 wildfire projects fast-tracked in 300 days
22. Launched climate partnerships with the UK, Germany, Ukraine, Spain, and Denmark
23. Funded the world's largest wildlife crossing
24. Announced free entry to California State Parks on MLK Day - as Trump swaps the "free day" for his birthday
25. Built a strategy to boost water storage and protect California's water supplies in a hotter, drier future
26. Expanded state fire prevention strategy and wildfire resiliency
27. Made history as the first state seeking to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature
28. Increased battery storage capacity and continues to build the grid of the future
29. Appointed Co-Chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance
30. Announced additional state funding for the Sites Reservoir project, which combines new water storage with environmental benefits
31. Added $1B in funding for clean buses and truck vouchers
32. Helped return spring-run Chinook salmon and other native species to historic habitats in the Yuba River
33. Upgraded 21 hatcheries to boost the state's salmon and trout populations and help protect them from the impacts of climate change
34. Helped launch the Affordable Clean Cars Coalition with 10 other states
35. Advanced efforts to secure clean and safe drinking water for Californians
36. Prepositioned critical resources various times ahead of fire and extreme weather conditions
37. Launched the Department of Water Resources' Accountability Action Plan to ensure accountability and transparency for potentially impacted communities during the construction of the Delta Conveyance Project
38. Announced the return of 17,030 acres of ancestral land to the Tule River Indian Tribe
39. Awarded $38.2 million to 108 youth programs across the state to ensure access to natural and cultural resources.
40. Led the nation in replacing polluting diesel school buses
41. Made $7.3 million in grants available to support community transportation planning
42. Strengthened protections to curb methane emissions at landfills
43. Launched mobile air monitoring in underserved communities - first-of-its-kind initiative
44. Expanded Big Basin Redwoods State Park by more than 150 acres
45. Delivered $520 million in utility bill relief to millions of Californians beginning this month
46. Signed a partnership with the Republic of Panama to advance international carbon markets
47. Mobilized communities for Earth Month with the California Climate Action Corps
48. Awarded more than $1.2 million in grants through the Route to Parks program to reduce transportation barriers and expand access to California's state parks.
49. Launched the state's first-ever Tribal Stewardship Policy
50. Continued to expand use of beneficial fire to improve wildfire resiliency, reduce fuels, and restore ecosystems
51. Restored nearly 300,000 acres of habitat and cut average permitting time to 42 days
52. Approved the world's largest solar and battery storage project in Fresno County
53. Launched the Fast Charge California Project to increase electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers at businesses and public sites
54. Made $2.5 million in grants available to strengthen connections to state parks through art, culture, and inclusive community engagement
55. Welcomed nearly $1 billion in California clean-tech investments with UK Octopus Energy
56. AS AMERICA'S FAVORITE GOVERNOR, GAVIN C. NEWSOM MADE THE TIME100 CLIMATE LIST FOR DELIVERING ON CLIMATE ACTION

The details about each of these announcements

✅ Conservation and pollution reduction

• The Golden State is leading the nation in protecting its natural resources. Through California's 30×30 initiative, a commitment to conserve 30% of the state's lands and coastal waters by 2030, California added over 1 million acres of conserved land and waters in a single year. That's larger than the entire state of Rhode Island.

• Earlier this month, Governor Newsom launched the first conservancy in 15 years at the Salton Sea to support habitat restoration, improve air quality, and deliver lasting benefits to Salton Sea communities. The Salton Sea Conservancy is a major step towards long-term restoration efforts - strengthening stewardship, investment, and public access for the communities around the Salton Sea.

• This month, under Governor Newsom's leadership, the state restored nearly 300,000 acres of habitat and cut average permitting time to 42 days. The Newsom administration continues to make it faster, easier, and more affordable to launch environmental restoration projects across the state through its Cutting the Green Tape initiative. These actions demonstrate the Governor's continued commitment to streamlining efforts to restore and protect California's lands, waters, and wildlife.

• As part of the state's Build More, Faster - For All infrastructure agenda, Governor Newsom joined the late Wallis Annenberg on Earth Day 2022 for the groundbreaking of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. The first of its kind in California, this crossing will provide safe passage for wildlife across US 101, reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and supporting long-term species viability by allowing movement. In February, the Governor announced funding that would provide the final push needed to complete the project.

• This past November, after the federal administration moved to eliminate climate data-gathering satellites, a state satellite project has provided data that has already helped resolve 10 large methane leaks, equivalent to removing about 18,000 cars from California roads for a year.

• Working to reduce harmful emissions across all sources, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved updates to its Landfill Methane Regulation (LMR) that will enable quicker detection and repair of methane leaks at landfills, improve monitoring and reporting, and facilitate stronger action for recurring issues. Methane, generated from the breakdown of waste, is a potent greenhouse gas, and landfills are the second-largest source of methane in the state.

• This February, Governor Newsom announced the permanent sealing of all 21 oil wells at the AllenCo site in University Park, ending years of environmental violations that threatened Los Angeles communities. The closure was part of California's commitment to plug hundreds of dangerous, abandoned oil wells and protect communities from the legacy of irresponsible operators who abandoned their cleanup obligations.

• Continuing efforts to create innovative solutions that will improve air quality and public health, Governor Newsom announced last June the launch of California's Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative (SMMI), a first-of-its-kind program that will use specially equipped vehicles to collect block-by-block air quality data in 64 communities heavily burdened by pollution.

• In August 2025, the Department of Water Resources released an Accountability Action Plan to avoid, minimize, or offset potential impacts caused by construction of the Delta Conveyance Project (DCP), holding the state accountable to the local community in a transparent, trackable, and measurable way. In addition to targeted, strategic communication and support, the plan establishes a $200 million Community Benefits Program for areas near the construction sites. The DCP plays an important part in protecting California's water supplies against climate change.

• Last June, a new report showed that California's Cap-and-Invest Program, formerly known as Cap-and-Trade, is funding air protection efforts in 19 communities with some of the state's highest levels of air pollution.

• Last May, California began the process of restoring shallow water habitats in the Salton Sea as part of the state's first major habitat restoration project in the region - a key step toward improving local wildlife conditions and suppressing dust to improve air quality for surrounding communities.

• Last May, Governor Newsom announced that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife would upgrade 21 fish hatcheries to boost the state's salmon and trout populations and protect hatcheries from the impacts of climate change. The project helps build the California salmon and trout supply, which are central to the health of California's biodiversity and important to indigenous peoples, other communities, and the state's multimillion-dollar fishing industry.

• Last April, Governor Newsom announced a historic agreement to help return spring-run Chinook salmon and other native fish species to their historic habitats in the Yuba River. This would allow salmon, steelhead, lamprey, and sturgeon, some of the oldest fish lineages on the planet, to access miles of habitat in the Lower Yuba River and North Yuba River not accessible for more than 100 years.

• Governor Newsom celebrated the presence of naturally reproduced coho salmon in the Russian River's upper basin in Northern California for the first time in over 30 years, building on the statewide recovery strategy to protect our ecosystems.

• Amid Trump's assault on public lands, California conserved over one million acres of land and coastal waters in just one year, equal in size to Glacier National Park.
• Governor Newsom announced that California would make history as the first American state to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Established in 1948, IUCN functions as a global "nature congress" that brings together governments, conservation organizations, and Indigenous peoples with a shared goal to protect nature. By joining IUCN as a subnational government member, California would have the opportunity to directly shape the conversation around global environmental policy.

✅ Tribal stewardship

• Earlier this month, CNRA launched the state's first-ever Tribal Stewardship Policy, establishing a statewide goal of expanding tribal stewardship over at least 7.5 million acres of land and coastal waters in California. The policy respects tribes' roles as the original stewards of the lands and waters in California, and their expertise in managing our state's environment and natural resources.

• Last November, on the heels of Governor Newsom's executive order aimed at expanding the use of beneficial fire, California State Parks significantly expanded its use of prescribed fire to improve wildfire resiliency, reduce fuels, and restore fire-adapted ecosystems at parks all over the state. California Native American tribes and cultural practitioners have used cultural burning since time immemorial to steward the land. These practices were outlawed by state and federal authorities for two centuries, leading to disrupted ecosystems and increased wildfire risk. Today, State Parks is actively collaborating with tribes to restore cultural fire to the landscape and incorporate traditional knowledge into modern land management.

• Last October, the state assisted in the largest ancestral land return in the Sierra Nevada foothills and the Central Valley, listening to tribal calls to restore cultural connections and strengthen tribal sovereignty over these lands. This effort supports the Tule River Indian Tribe's stewardship of its ancestral homeland, which, in turn, contributes to California's 30×30 goals.

✅ Clean energy deployment

• Pollution is down, and the economy is up. Greenhouse gas emissions in California are down 21% since 2000 - even as the state's GDP increased 81% in that same time period, all while becoming the world's fourth largest economy.

• California was powered by two-thirds clean energy in 2023, the latest year for which data is available, and is the largest economy in the world to achieve this level of clean energy. The state has run on 100% clean electricity for some part of the day almost every day this year.

• This past November, Governor Newsom reported that California has nearly 17,000 megawatts (MW) of battery storage available, a massive buildout that's redefining grid reliability and accelerating the state's clean energy transition. The new total represents an increase of about 1,200 MW in the past six months and a 2,100% surge in storage capacity since Governor Newsom took office in 2019. California now has 33% of the storage capacity needed by 2045 to reach 100% clean electricity.

• Last June, the Darden Clean Energy Project, approved by the California Energy Commission (CEC), is set to support California's progress to 100% clean electricity, strengthen grid resilience, create local jobs, and invest in communities while proving that large-scale clean energy projects can move quickly under the state's new accelerated permitting process.

• California has created over half a million clean-energy jobs and invested $50 billion in climate programs - more than most countries.

✅ Building climate resilient communities

• California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) awarded $38.2 million in funding to 108 programs across the state through the Youth Community Access Program. This provides children with critically important access to natural and cultural resources. These grant awards will help support youth from low-income and underserved communities, particularly those communities disproportionately impacted by past federal and state drug policies.

• Parks California and California State Parks announced the award of more than $1.2 million in grants to 34 community organizations across the state through the Route to Parks program, supporting efforts to reduce transportation barriers and expand access to California's state parks. 2026 grants are expected to help more than 15,000 people - many visiting for the first time - experience one of the most diverse state park systems in the country.

• This past Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Trump administration stopped offering free entry to National Parks. Governor Newsom directed California State Parks to offer free entry at more than 200 participating parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026. While Trump worked to erase Dr. King's legacy, California honored it.

• Earlier this year, California State Parks and Parks California announced the opening of two grant programs up to $2.5 million, designed to support nonprofit, community, and tribal organizations in strengthening connections to California's state parks through art, culture, and inclusive community engagement.

• More than 2,100 new affordable homes for low-income and unhoused Bay Area residents are available thanks to state-funded cleanup of contamination on otherwise unusable land across the region. The Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) provided funding and oversight of the removal of contamination at these sites.

• Protecting communities from extreme heat: California launched CalHeatScore - a groundbreaking tool to help protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves.

• California State Parks announced the permanent addition of the 153-acre NoraBella property to expand Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Boulder Creek. The $2.4 million acquisition is the first for Big Basin since State Parks acquired the Little Basin property from Sempervirens Fund and the Peninsula Open Space Trust in 2011.

• California Climate Action Corps mobilized Californians this Earth Month to volunteer across the state-from tree planting to food recovery-helping protect the environment while strengthening communities. This comes after the California Service Corps kicked off its 2026 recruitment campaign, calling on 10,000 young Californians to join.

✅ Lowering bills and building a reliable electric grid

• Since 2014, the state's Cap-and-Invest program has delivered $16 billion in bill refunds back to residential investor-owned utility customers. Earlier this month, Governor Newsom announced that California will add to that and provide a total of $1.4 billion in residential credits - $894 million for electric customers and $520 million for natural gas customers. An additional $73 million for small businesses and $114 million for Industry Assistance adds to the $1.9 billion already distributed since 2014 in Small Business Climate Credits and California Industry Assistance.

• Governor Newsom signed a historic package of legislation that promises to bring down electricity costs, stabilize the petroleum market, and slash air pollution. These new laws will provide California families billions in utility bill refunds. In April 2026, millions of Californians received an average of $137 in credits on their utility bills thanks to the cap-and-invest program.

• California enacted legislation authorizing participation in expanded Western regional electricity markets, enabling greater coordination with other Western states to lower energy costs, improve grid reliability, and more efficiently integrate renewable and other zero-carbon energy resources across the region.

✅ Clean transportation and infrastructure

• The Golden State shattered its clean cars goal. During the fourth quarter of 2025, Californians purchased 79,066 new zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), representing 18.9% of new car sales.

  • During this timeframe, California surpassed 2.5 million new ZEV sales, a huge milestone for the state - showing that policy certainty creates resilient markets global investors can trust.

• Recently, CNRA set forth $7.3 million through the Community Planning and Capacity Building Grants. This competitive funding opportunity supports community-led planning efforts that lay the groundwork for future clean transportation investments.

• There are now over 200,000 public and shared EV charging stations statewide.

  • EV chargers can be found at grocery stores, park-and-ride lots, and even gas stations, whereas shared EV chargers can be found at apartment complexes, workplaces, doctors' offices, sports facilities, and other parking areas with some level of restricted access.

  • This statewide network of public and shared private chargers is in addition to the estimated 800,000 EV chargers installed in California homes.

• Last August, the CEC announced the launch of the Fast Charge California Project, a $55 million incentive program offering up to 100% of the installation costs for electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers at businesses and public sites across the state.

• California continues to lead the nation in replacing polluting diesel school buses with zero-emission models, thanks to nearly $1.4 billion in state investments, according to a new report.

• California recently committed $1.1 billion for zero-emission buses, charging stations, bridge repairs, mobility hubs, and key roadway safety upgrades.

• In October, Governor Newsom announced $5 billion for local roadway repairs, bridge upgrades, pedestrian safety projects, and new transportation options statewide.

• In November 2025, ahead of COP 30, the state released data through the California GHG Emissions Inventory showing a 3% drop in statewide emissions in 2023 - the third-largest annual percentage decrease since tracking began in 2000. The decrease is equivalent to removing more than 2.6 million gasoline-powered cars from California's roads for one year.  

• We lead in every critical industry - clean energy, technology, research, and agriculture - with more scientists, engineers, and Nobel laureates than anywhere on Earth. California is number one in nearly every strategic industry sector that we have, from advanced manufacturing to agriculture. Number one in new business starts and access to capital.

✅ Wildfire resilience

• Last October, Governor Newsom signed an executive order directing state agencies to reduce red tape and expand tools to safely deploy beneficial fire.

• Governor Newsom signed an executive order doubling down on California's commitment to fire prevention by expanding the state's use of beneficial fire - also known as prescribed burns and cultural fire - as a tool to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk.

• Modernized our aerial firefighting fleet, with the final delivery of two state-of-the-art Fire Hawk helicopters arriving in Sacramento - bringing CAL FIRE's Fire Hawk fleet to a total of 16 stationed throughout the state. Fire Hawk helicopters add to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. Governor Newsom recently announced that the state's second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations.

• Last June, Governor Newsom announced $135 million in wildfire prevention grants to protect communities from catastrophic wildfires as the Trump administration strains firefighting resources.

• Governor Newsom has prepositioned resources on various occasions throughout the state ahead of critical fire weather conditions and other extreme weather conditions - ensuring the safety of Californians.

  • Nevada, Sierra, and Plumas County (July 2025)

  • Los Angeles and San Diego County (August 2025)

  • Inyo County (August 2025)

  • Placer and Calaveras County (August 2025)

  • Trinity County (August 2025)

  • El Dorado, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, and Trinity Counties (September 2025)

  • Nevada County (September 2025)

  • Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, and Santa Barbara Counties (October 2025)

• Following Governor Newsom's emergency proclamation on wildfire-prone forests last March, state agencies have coordinated to cut red tape and fast-track critical wildfire safety projects across the state, all while maintaining vital environmental safeguards. Over 300 projects across nearly 57,000 acres have been approved in the state in just 300 days. Through this streamlined process, projects are now being approved in as little as 30 days, saving a year or more of review and red tape for more complicated projects.

✅ Water

• Earlier this year, the Governor launched the California Water Plan 2028, marking the start of a multi-year effort to modernize statewide water resilient planning in response to climate-driven extremes and long-term water reliability challenges. Actions like these intend to strengthen supplies for future dry months and droughts.

• In December 2025, the Governor highlighted eight major state-funded water infrastructure projects that have either broken ground or been completed across California this fall, including water recycling, wastewater treatment, and desalination facilities. These projects collectively add about 2.9 billion gallons annually to the state's water supplies, enough water for roughly 20,000 homes per year.

• In August 2025, California committed an additional $219 million to the Sites Reservoir project. Sites Reservoir is a key component of Governor Newsom's water strategy-capturing water from the Sacramento River during wet seasons and storing it for use during drier seasons. These efforts will hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, which is enough to supply over 4.5 million homes for a year. The project will help California maintain a resilient water supply in the face of climate change, weather extremes, and water scarcity.

• In May 2025, Governor Newsom announced that the city of Tustin would receive a new, state-funded water treatment system to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS), demonstrating the continued commitment to provide clean water for Californians.

• The consolidation of the Tombstone water system, located in the Central Valley, benefited residents' access to safer, cleaner drinking water. The City of Sanger played a crucial role in the planning and design process of the consolidation by helping extend services to Tombstone. This came in addition to securing safe drinking water for residents in the Central Valley.

• California continues to double down on protecting our oceans. The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC), in partnership with the California Ocean Science Trust, released the 2026 California Coast and Ocean Report - the first comprehensive, science-based assessment of coastal and ocean health in California history. The report describes not only the pressures facing California's coast and ocean, but also the historic progress that our state is making to support resilient marine ecosystems and thriving coastal communities.

✅ California's global climate network

• COP 30: Recognizing California's leadership in the global fight to tackle climate change, Governor Newsom was selected as co-chair of the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, which brought together mayors, governors, and subnational leaders from around the world to drive momentum ahead of COP30 negotiations.

  • While Washington, D.C., retreated from global leadership, California built partnerships that deliver real-world solutions. Recent partnerships advanced during COP30 include:

    • Chile (2025)

    • Colombia (2025)

    • Nigeria (2025)

    • Pará, Brazil (2025)

• Munich Security Conference (MSC): Governor Newsom attended the 2026 Munich Security Conference, where he advanced climate partnerships across continents. The Governor reinforced California's role as a stable, reliable partner, even as the Trump administration retreats. The Governor deepened partnerships with Germany, the EU, and Denmark. Additionally, while in Europe, Governor Newsom launched a new climate partnership with the UK and welcomed a billion-dollar investment in California by Octopus, a UK-based clean-energy tech company.

• Other recent international partnerships:

  • Denmark (2025)

  • Kenya (2025)

  • Brazil (2025)

  • Panama (2025)

• Last May, Governor Newsom was appointed co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance - a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors working to achieve a net-zero carbon pollution future in America by advancing state-led, high-impact climate action.

  • Following an illegal vote in the U.S. Senate to attempt to revoke California's authority to set its own clean air standard, Governor Newsom announced that California would join an 11-state coalition, the Affordable Clean Cars Coalition, to advance clean cars led by the U.S. Climate Alliance.

Trump's dangerous anti-science agenda

Donald Trump's rejection of scientific truth is an active threat to the environmental, health, and economic well-being of all Americans. Facing the most defining crisis of our time, Trump remains weak and chooses to do nothing on the climate. Trump is working to turn back the clock on decades of environmental progress. Most recently, to name a few, the Trump administration has:

❌ Slashed funding and staff for our National Park System

❌ Weakened the U.S. Forest Service

❌ Closed 50+ critical research and science facilities

❌ Rolled back the Endangered Species Act as California challenges the move in court

❌ Opened Alaska's wildlands to drilling

❌ Rescinded the Roadless Rule, removing wilderness protections

❌ Proposed offshore drilling off California's coast

❌ Attacked cost-effective renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar

❌ Withheld infrastructure funding for the technologies of the future, including clean tech

California is filling the leadership void

As Donald Trump abandons America's allies and dismantles federal climate leadership, Governor Newsom is filling the void. California will stand firm as a subnational leader in climate, engage with partners, cut pollution, create good-paying jobs, and lead the clean energy economy. Governor Newsom knows that climate action goes hand in hand with economic dominance. When every day is Earth Day in the Golden State, California remains the model for climate action.