January 29, 2026
Topic
For People and Planet
By: Bernadette Austin
My family’s holiday cards display images from some fantastic trips we took this year. We hiked on a rapidly melting glacier in Iceland and released sea turtles through a conservation program in Baja California. Both were magical experiences that offered tangible, poignant reminders of the urgency of climate resilience and adaptation.
Despite these idyllic experiences, the work that drives me every day is not the impact we have on the planet. I am inspired to do work that improves people’s lives. Several years ago, a colleague of mine said that centering people was the unfinished business of the environmental movement, and that resonates with me. Protecting the interests of both people and the planet requires pursuing increasingly complex and nuanced solutions. We have already harvested the low-hanging fruit. What we cultivate now requires more challenging work, but it is critical to reap the rewards of sustainability.
Our field is full of these types of juxtapositions. Individuals feel like they need to choose between affordability and sustainability. Leaders feel torn between advancing economic development and preserving natural resources. Communities find themselves racing to address one crisis after the next–addressing homelessness, crumbling infrastructure, and a myriad of natural and human-made disasters.
CEQA reform represents a clear example of this nuance and complexity. How do we support people struggling to find homes they can afford while preserving a safe and sustainable community to live in? I spent a decade funding and developing affordable housing, seven years on a Planning Commission, and four on a Climate Action Commission. These experiences help me appreciate the many nuances surrounding CEQA reform and the humility to engage in dialogue with diverse interests. As we look forward to the coming year, we will have many opportunities to dialogue with diverse interests toward a common goal, whether that means advancing affordable decarbonization, applying the insights from the Fifth Climate Change Assessment, guiding investments from the Climate Bond and the Cap and Invest program, or navigating political diversity in an election year.
We must find solutions that address these seemingly compounded problems and opposing goals. CivicWell and our network of members, sponsors, and partners are committed to working through these challenges to find those solutions. Indeed, for nearly half a century, we have supported communities across the state through technical assistance and capacity building, convening, and coalition-building. In 2026, we are hosting three conferences that will convene folks dedicated to finding solutions. These include the 17th Annual California Climate and Energy Collaborative Forum at Universal City, the 34th annual Policymakers Conference at Yosemite National Park, and the inaugural Policy Bridge summit in Sacramento. We invite you to join us on this journey.
Looking Ahead: California Policy Priorities in 2026
By Steve Hansen, Managing Partner, Lighthouse Public Affairs
As 2026 begins, California stands at a crossroads—facing a complex convergence of fiscal challenges, environmental threats, and political transitions. While Governor Newsom’s proposed January budget is nominally balanced, few in Sacramento expect that to hold. Mid-year cuts appear likely, and the state will need to make tough choices about how to preserve essential services while maintaining commitments to long-term goals like climate resilience and infrastructure.
One pressing area of policy innovation is wildfire resilience. California has made significant strides in climate adaptation planning, but 2026 will test whether we can scale our efforts to match the accelerating pace of risk. This year, expect to see increased momentum behind new financing tools that help existing homeowners invest in home hardening—protecting both families and the broader community. One year after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Senator Ben Allen introduced legislation to create a state-backed interest loan program to finance these necessary home hardening upgrades. Coupled with improved deployment of early-warning technologies and suppression tactics, the aim is to shift from reactive response to proactive prevention—stopping fires before they become megafires. We expect legislators to introduce a very comprehensive wildfire resilience package in the coming weeks.
At the same time, the implementation of SB 840 and AB 1207 marks a pivotal evolution in California’s carbon market strategy. Championed by new Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón and Assemblymember Irwin, these bills extended and made various changes to improve and ensure the long-term viability of the Cap-and-Invest program. As the California Air Resources Board (CARB) continues its work to build a robust and equitable trading system, Cap-and-Invest offers a pathway to drive investment into frontline communities while maintaining the state’s climate leadership. The coming months will be critical in determining whether this mechanism can deliver both environmental integrity and economic justice.
Innovation is also at the heart of forward-looking proposals like Senator Scott Wiener’s bill SB 868 The Plug and Play Solar Act, which legalizes plug-in solar and storage batteries for renters and lower-income homeowners. This approach, common in Europe, has the potential to democratize access to renewable energy, lower electricity bills, and bring climate solutions directly to those who have been left out of traditional rooftop solar programs. Initiatives like BrightSaver, which provides portable, plug-in solar kits with no upfront costs, demonstrate the viability of this model and its promise in expanding equitable access to clean energy. At a time of rising energy costs and grid instability, such efforts are not just progressive—they are essential.
All of this unfolds against the backdrop of a federal government increasingly hostile to California’s environmental goals. Whether through regulatory rollbacks or political opposition, Washington’s stance is testing the state’s ability to chart its own course. That’s why the 2026 elections—for Governor, Congress, and the State Legislature—will serve as more than a typical political cycle. They will be a referendum on whether Californians are prepared to double down on a vision of sustainability, equity, and innovation—or retreat in the face of national headwinds.
In this pivotal year, CivicWell and its network of local leaders will play a crucial role in translating policy ambition into real-world impact. The work ahead demands both pragmatism and imagination—and California, once again, has the opportunity to lead.
