The Climate Center is a left-of-center environmental and energy policy think tank in Santa Rosa, California. The Center’s stated goal is to decrease carbon emissions and carbon levels in California below net-zero by 2030. ¹ To achieve this goal, the Center partners with government, labor unions, businesses, and activist groups, including Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and Labor Network for Sustainability. ² The Center is also a partner of Joint Venture Silicon Valley. ³

In 2021, the Center was declared an observer organization to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. ⁴

Founding and History

The Climate Center was founded in 2001 by Ann Hancock as a think tank to promote left-of-center environmental and energy policies in California and received tax exempt status the following year. ¹ The Center was previously known as Climate Protection Campaign and the Telos Project. ⁵

In 2021, the Center was named an observer organization to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The following year, the Center hosted the California Environmental Policy Summit, and successfully lobbied for the passage of AB 1757, which requires companies to invest in programs to remove carbon from the air. ⁴

Activism

The Center researches and lobbies for left-of-center environmental and energy policies on the California state level, as well as coordinating between other groups with similar goals. The Center’s stated goal is to decrease carbon emissions and carbon levels in California below net-zero by 2030.  ¹ At the same time, the Center looks to use environmental policy to promote other left-wing social goals under the labels “equity” and “inclusion.” ⁶

To accomplish these goals, the Center seeks to collaborate with government, labor unions, businesses, and activist groups to lobby for restrictions on the domestic oil and gas industry, increased climate-related spending, and greater regulations on California businesses. Through changing California’s laws, the Center hopes to apply pressure on the rest of America and the world as a whole to adopt similar policies. ⁷

The Climate Center partners with a number of left-of-center groups, including Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and Labor Network for Sustainability, and advisory board includes members of other such organizations, such as Working Assets. ² The Center is also a partner of Joint Venture Silicon Valley. ⁸

The Center also engages in education and publication activities to promote its positions. In 2021, the Center released its primary publication, titled “Accelerating the timeline for climate action in California.” Since 2020, the Center has also operated a webinar program, promoting its policies to 5,000 people. ⁴

1. “About Us.” The Climate Center. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://theclimatecenter.org/about/
2. “Partners and Advisors.” The Climate Center. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://theclimatecenter.org/about/partners-and-advisors/
3. “Our Partners.” Joint Venture Silicon Valley. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://jointventure.org/our-investors/partners
4. “Our Impact.” The Climate Center. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://theclimatecenter.org/about/impact/
5. “The Climate Change Center.” GuideStar. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/45-0485495
6. “Our Values.” The Climate Center. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://theclimatecenter.org/about/our-values/
7. “Our Theory of Change.” The Climate Center. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://theclimatecenter.org/about/our-theory-of-change/
8. “Partners.” Joint Venture Silicon Valley. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://jointventure.org/our-investors/partners