The oil and gas industry is pouring money into a closely watched Democrat-on-Democrat Assembly race in Southern California’s Inland Empire, an area that is feeling the effects of climate change and a seat that could help shape the state’s plans to slash greenhouse gas emissions.
California is struggling to keep its pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 48% of the 1990 level by 2030, a goal that the California Green Innovation Index calculates the state is on track to miss by at least 15 years. Meanwhile, the 50th Assembly District, which stretches from Redlands to Rancho Cucamonga, is very much in the path of the climate storm and faces a potential future of weather extremes.
