Activists claim California Democrats, Gavin Newsom ‘backed down’ on climate change

Climate change activists claimed on Monday that California Democrats are in retreat after rolling back several environmental laws since the second Trump administration began.

A Politico report featured several climate change lobbyists expressing disappointment in state Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, delaying and even suspending environmental regulations in recent weeks.

Last month, a California Energy Commission official advised Newsom to pause his 2023 plan to place a cap on excessive oil company profits.

“It’s one of the more disappointing turnabouts,” Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court told Politico. “We have backed down, and we may not be flying a white handkerchief, but it’s pretty close to white.”

Last week, Newsom also signed into law two housing bills that would exempt several construction projects, including for urban housing and health clinics, from environmental review.

While former top environmental adviser Marie Liu understood these moves to be an effort to keep prices down, she feared this was focused on “short-term” responses rather than the long-term consequences.

“This is part of the Democrats’ doing some soul-searching and really trying to figure out what they stand for,” Liu told Politico.

Activists considered this a step-down from President Donald Trump’s first term in office, which saw California pushing for stricter gas mileage emissions standards for automakers, in direct conflict with the president.

“California was the vocal climate leader during the first Trump administration,” deputy policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air Chris Chavez said to Politico. “It’s questionable whether or not that leadership is still there.”

In a comment to Fox News Digital, Newsom Deputy Director of Communications Daniel Villaseñor called the argument “total, utter nonsense.”

“This Governor has done more to combat climate change than any Governor before him,” Villaseñor said.

Fox News Digital also reached out to the California Democratic Party for comment.

California Democrats haven’t completely given up the environmental fight. Last month, Newsom sued the Trump administration over its attempts to revoke California’s Clean Air Act waivers.