Source: Next City

Date Published: 09.22.2025

Link: California’s Key Environmental Law Is Blocking Its Path to Carbon Neutrality

The article explains that California’s main environmental law, CEQA, was created to protect the environment but is now slowing down the state’s push to achieve carbon neutrality. The law requires lengthy reviews and allows people to sue to stop new projects, which often delays or blocks housing built in cities near public transit—the kind of housing that helps reduce car use and lower emissions. As a result, more housing is built farther from cities, leading to increased driving and pollution. To address this, new rules, such as AB 609 and AB 130, aim to simplify the process of building these climate-friendly projects by eliminating unnecessary reviews. This shows how a law meant to protect the environment can sometimes work against climate goals if it’s not updated.