Environmental advocates are accusing California Democrats of retreating on their climate promises, claiming the state’s once-bold leadership on green policy is now faltering under political pressure and economic concerns.
The criticism comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed new legislation last week that waives environmental review requirements for certain construction projects, including urban housing and health clinics—measures meant to address California’s deepening housing crisis but seen by some as a rollback of hard-won environmental protections.
According to a Politico report, several climate activists expressed frustration with what they described as a pattern of Democrats easing off environmental commitments since President Trump returned to office in 2025.
Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, called the shift “one of the more disappointing turnabouts” in recent memory.
“We have backed down, and we may not be flying a white handkerchief, but it’s pretty close to white,” he told Politico.
Last month, a top California Energy Commission official even advised Newsom to delay a 2023 plan aimed at capping excessive oil industry profits—another sign, activists say, that environmental priorities are being sidelined.
Former environmental adviser Marie Liu acknowledged that Newsom’s recent moves may be motivated by economic necessity, but she warned that the focus on short-term affordability could come at a long-term cost.
“This is part of the Democrats doing some soul-searching and really trying to figure out what they stand for,” Liu said.
During Trump’s first term, California was widely viewed as a national counterweight to federal climate policy—leading lawsuits, setting its own emissions standards, and positioning itself as the de facto environmental conscience of the country.
Now, however, that leadership is in question.
“California was the vocal climate leader during the first Trump administration,” said Chris Chavez, deputy policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air. “It’s questionable whether or not that leadership is still there.”
In response to the criticism, Newsom’s office pushed back hard.
“This Governor has done more to combat climate change than any Governor before him,” Deputy Director of Communications Daniel Villaseñor told Fox News Digital, calling claims of retreat “total, utter nonsense.”
Despite the growing frustration among activists, California Democrats haven’t abandoned the fight altogether. Just last month, Newsom’s administration filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its latest attempt to strip away California’s Clean Air Act waivers.
Still, the broader tone among environmental groups is one of concern—as state lawmakers appear to be recalibrating their climate goals in the face of economic and political realities.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to dismantle Obama- and Newsom-era environmental mandates, recently signing resolutions ending California-originated electric vehicle rules that had been adopted by over a dozen other states.
