Response to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Actions Toward a Managed Phase-Out of Oil and Gas Extraction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 19, 2019

Contact:

David Turnbull, david [at] priceofoil.org
Stephen Kretzmann, steve [at] priceofoil.org
Collin Rees, collin [at] priceofoil.org

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Takes Actions towards a Managed Phase-Out of Oil and Gas Extraction — Oil Change International response
Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced new steps to restrict dangerous drilling practices and improve protections for communities close to oil and gas extraction. In response, Stephen Kretzmann, Executive Director at Oil Change International, provided the following statement:

“Governor Newsom has shown the world today that the future of climate leadership means saying ‘no’ to the fossil fuel industry’s dreams of endless expansion. While there is still a long road ahead, the measures announced today are important steps towards comprehensive action to phase out California’s oil and gas production and align its economy with climate safety. Communities on the frontlines of oil and gas extraction will continue to suffer until fossil fuel production is phased out completely, but today’s announcements mark key steps in the right direction. Ultimately, the only ‘safe’ approach to oil and gas extraction is to phase it out.

“As the world’s fifth-largest economy and home to substantial fossil fuel extraction, California has a responsibility to model a just transition away from fossil fuels in line with the scale of action needed to address our climate crisis. For the world to meet the Paris Agreement goals, we need leaders with the courage to prioritize people over polluters, and today Governor Newsom stepped up to the plate. Phasing out existing extraction that’s too close to communities, stopping all new permits that expand drilling, and investing adequate resources to ensure nobody is left behind in the transition to a renewable economy are critical next steps, and we’re confident that an honest review of the science will reveal that.

“We applaud Governor Newsom for initiating this process, and look forward to continued leadership that centers frontline communities and workers in a just transition away from fossil fuels.”

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Notes:

Full details on today’s actions can be found here: https://www.conservation.ca.gov/index/Pages/News/California-Establishes-Moratorium-on-High-Pressure-Extraction.aspx
In May 2018, Oil Change International released The Sky’s Limit California, detailing what a managed and just phase out of oil and gas production in California aligned with global climate goals must include. See: http://oilchange.org/2018/05/22/skys-limit-california-oil-production-paris-climate-goals
There has been a freeze on the issuance of permits for fracking in California since late June 2019. See: https://www.citylab.com/environment/2019/11/california-oil-gas-fracking-gavin-newsom-jerry-brown/600079
The Lofoten Declaration, supported by more than 600 civil society organizations globally, “affirms that it is the urgent responsibility and moral obligation of wealthy fossil fuel producers (such as California) to lead in putting an end to fossil fuel development and to manage the decline of existing production.” See: http://www.lofotendeclaration.org