CLEE Webinar : Electricity Affordability and the 2026 CA Gubernatorial Election
California residential electricity rates increased significantly over the past decade. Average residential rates for the three large investor-owned utilities (IOUs) increased approximately 8 to 10% annually, far outpacing the annual rate of inflation of roughly 3.5% over the same time period. The rising cost of electricity poses a barrier to electrifying buildings and transportation, both key elements of California’s strategy to reduce emissions contributing to climate change and poor air quality.
Threats to State authority further complicate the challenge of electricity affordability. For these reasons—and more—electricity affordability has become an important issue in the 2026 gubernatorial election. This lunch and learn explores the issues contributing to electricity affordability in California, possible solutions to addressing the issue, and what California’s next governor can do to address this exceptionally complex and important issue.
Speakers: former EPA Region 9 Administrator and former California Public Utilities Commissioner, Martha Guzman Aceves, and CLEE Research Fellow, Travis Ritchie, in conversation moderated by Sharon Jacobs, Professor at Berkeley Law.
SF Climate Week : California’s Climate Leadership and the Next Governor
California has led on climate and environmental policy and implementation for decades - demonstrating that it is possible to deliver a clean environment while also growing the state’s economy. Today, several factors threaten this leadership. Actions at the federal level, including withdrawal of California’s waivers, repeal of EPA’s Endangerment Finding, and outright hostility toward renewable energy generation directly targeting California’s authority.
Increased concerns about the state’s cost of energy, housing and transportation affordability, and quality of life may threaten the potential for additional actions necessary to meet California’s climate targets. Together, these pressures threaten to erode California’s leadership at a critical moment, which could have cascading effects in other states and, even internationally. California’s next governor will come into office at a pivotal moment to continue the state’s momentum on climate change, while also tackling economic mobility, affordability, housing production, and a combative federal administration. Join us to hear three leading voices in the state share their priorities for the next governor.
Speakers: Moderator: Louise Bedsworth / Executive Director, Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment, UC Berkeley Law, Kate Gordon / CEO CA FWD Mary Creasman, CEO, California Environmental Voters), Mary Creasman / CEO, California Environmental Voters, Max Vargas / President and CEO, Greenlining Institute
Our Climate Future - A Forum with Gubernatorial Candidates
California voters are grappling with rising costs, climate-driven disasters, and growing uncertainty about the state's energy and environmental future. California's next governor will take up the state's long tradition of environmental leadership at a time of heightened complexity and competing priorities.
To elevate climate policy in the gubernatorial conversation, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) at UC Berkeley Law in partnership with California Environmental Voters and The Climate Center Action Fund, hosted a gubernatorial forum on January 28, 2026. Invitations were extended to the top six candidates based on public polling; four candidates accepted and participated in the forum.
The discussion focused on California’s climate leadership, energy transition, transportation, resilience, and clean energy. A recording of the forum is available here.