By Dave Weiskopf, Senior Policy Advisor

For almost three decades, world leaders have gathered at the annual Conference of Parties (COP), bringing together almost every country in the world to tackle climate change. This year’s global climate summit, COP26, is especially significant after the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Climate Assessment announced a ‘code red’ for humanity and the imminent risk of hitting 1.5 degrees Celsius – a target agreed upon by every country at COP21 in 2015 through the Paris Agreement.

California will be represented by a 23-member official delegation led by Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis. California officials plan to highlight our state’s leadership on climate and to push our partners around the world to redouble their efforts to end global dependence on oil.

NextGen Policy shares and supports these priorities and we stand with the Governor in his efforts to stop oil’s most harmful practices here in California. From the devastating oil spill in Orange County to the more than 2 million Californians living next to the toxic byproducts of oil and gas drilling, California knows all too well the harms fossil fuel production has on our environment and public health. 

Governor Gavin Newsom instructed the state entity that regulates oil and gas, the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) to establish rules on oil and gas production in order to achieve our climate and public health targets. NextGen Policy supports the recent announcements from Governor Newsom and CalGEM to phase out oil production entirely by 2045 and establish 3,200-foot health and safety setbacks for new wells.

We will be raising our voice to support them in the official state processes to make these commitments a reality. We hope you will join us. These are critical measures to end our state’s reliance on oil and demonstrate California’s leadership on confronting the climate crisis head on.

We are looking forward to following the COP26 conversations regarding the global transition away from fossil fuels and how California can act as a model for nations around the world. As global leaders update their plans for reducing emissions and meeting our global target, NextGen Policy stands ready to support California’s ambitious fossil fuel phase out and to protect communities from dangerous drilling.