On Sunday, August 2, people of faith, climate advocates, students, healthcare professionals, and community leaders gathered in San José at the First Unitarian Church for a powerful town hall calling on California legislators to Make Polluters Pay.
Hosted as part of the growing statewide campaign for climate accountability, the event brought together people from diverse religious traditions and backgrounds around a shared conviction: those who have profited from fueling the climate crisis should bear the cost of the damage they have caused, not working families and vulnerable communities.
Attendees heard an inspiring keynote address from Assemblymember Ash Kalra, the 2025 legislative champion of California’s Climate Superfund proposal. His remarks underscored the urgent need for bold action as communities across the state continue to recover from increasingly destructive climate disasters.
The panel discussion, moderated by Isabel Penman, featured climate activist Liam Hroziencik, Mani Bekele of the San José Youth Climate Action Team, San José District 4 Councilmember David Cohen, and Dr. Laurie Lalakea of Stanford’s Physician Champions for Climate Action. Together, they explored the economic, public health, and community resilience benefits of establishing a California Climate Superfund.
The urgency of this work is impossible to ignore. Since the beginning of 2025, California has experienced more than $250 billion in damages from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. In the five years before that, the state suffered tens of billions more in losses from atmospheric rivers, catastrophic wildfires, extreme winter storms, and other climate-driven disasters. As these events become more frequent and severe, the costs continue to fall on taxpayers, local governments, and families already struggling to recover.
Faith communities know that caring for our neighbors means seeking justice as well as compassion. Climate disasters disproportionately impact those with the fewest resources, while the corporations most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions continue to reap enormous profits. A Climate Superfund would require major fossil fuel companies to contribute to the recovery and resilience efforts their pollution has made necessary, helping communities rebuild while investing in a safer future.
Vermont and New York have already enacted Climate Superfund laws. California has the opportunity to lead once again by ensuring that polluters, not the public, pay for the damage caused by climate change.
CIPL is proud to stand alongside our partners, elected officials, and faith communities in this movement. Together, we are building a future rooted in justice, accountability, and care for creation.
The movement continues. We invite people of faith across California to join us in advocating for policies that protect our communities, strengthen climate resilience, and hold the biggest polluters accountable.
Moving forward, there are some crucial ways to stay involved and support the movement:
- Join the grassroots planning meetings! The next one is Monday, August 10, at 5 PM. RSVP here.
- Directly contact your state legislators! Fill out this petition AND find and call your House representative and senators.
- Check out the Make Polluters Pay website for more information and updates!
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