An Open Letter to Governor Newsom and the California Air Resources Board – Watts Up With That?

From the “Gavin is sure to ignore this” department and the CO2 Coalition.

September 27, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom
1021 O Street, Suite 9000,
Sacramento, CA 95814

Chair Liane Randolph lauren.sanchez@arb.ca.gov
Incoming Chair Lauren Sanchez
Executive Director Steven S. Cliff, PhD
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: CO₂ Coalition Challenges Governor Newsom on the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding

Dear Governor Newsom and CARB Leadership:

Good news: There is NO climate crisis in California.

This letter is a response to Governor Newsom’s September 22, 2025, letter to U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin (https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GGN-Engangerment-Finding-Letter.pdf) and CARB’s September 22, 2025, summary of submissions to EPA and the Department of Energy (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/carb-submits-scathing-critique-u-s-epas-illegal-effort-overturn-endangerment-finding) that defend the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding.

You claim that “greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare,” that “climate-warming gases are killing people,” and that there is a “climate crisis” in California and the United States.

We challenge the validity of these claims with strong evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are not harming Americans, and that there is NO climate crisis in California and the United States. This evidence has been compiled by the CO₂ Coalition, a nonprofit organization with the goal of determining and propagating accurate facts regarding carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the climate. The key findings provided below stand in contrast to your claims that greenhouse gases are deadly air pollutants, and that wildfires, “extreme heat,” drought, and floods are becoming more frequent and severe.

More details, including the scientific data, can be found in these  CO₂ Coalition documents:

The letter sent to the CARB on March 22, 2024 (https://co2coalition.org/publications/an-open-letter-to-the-california-air-resources-board/).

The written comments submitted to the EPA on September 19, 2025 (https://co2coalition.org/publications/co2-coalition-comment-on-epa-endangerment-finding/) and September 22, 2025 (https://co2coalition.org/publications/co2-coalition-comment-2-on-epa-endangerment-finding/).

In summary:

Modest warming of California is beneficial and not a cause for concern: Globally, significantly more people have died from the cold than from the heat since 2000.

Increase in agricultural production: The combination of lengthened growing seasons (from warming) and increased CO₂ concentrations has contributed to this increase.

CO₂ is essential: Plants need CO₂, sunlight, water, and nutrients from the soil to produce food and oxygen, both of which are essential for human and animal lives.

CO₂ is beneficial: Exposing plants to higher concentrations of CO₂ increases their growth, food production, and drought-resistance; and greens the Earth.

CO₂ does not cause dangerous warming: Over the last 10,000 years, global temperatures exceeded our current temperature more than 90 percent of the time, despite the CO₂ concentration being much lower at ~ 280 parts per million (ppm)

CO₂ is harmless: CO₂ only becomes harmful to humans at concentrations on or above 8,000 ppm, which is much higher than today’s atmospheric CO₂ concentration of ~ 425 ppm.

California is in no danger of unusual drought: The annual precipitation in California has fluctuated greatly over the last 150 years, with only a slight decrease.

Ski resorts are experiencing more snow: Most (21 of 22) ski resorts in California had increasing snowfall from 2012 to 2023.

California is in no danger of drowning: North Spit, CA, has the highest rate of sea-level rise of 0.005 meter per year, or 1.64 feet in 100 years, which is easily mitigated; while other locations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, have rates of sea-level rise of less than 0.003 meter per year, or less than one foot in 100 years, which is also easily mitigated.

Fewer natural disasters over the years: Significantly reduced number of wildfires and acres burned were reported in the United States and globally.

Air quality in California keeps getting better: The major air pollutants are at their lowest levels ever and they are not killing any Californians.

In conclusion: There is NO climate crisis in California, and CO₂ is essential and beneficial for life on Earth. Therefore, the CO₂ Coalition recommends that policies should be enacted based on scientific evidence, rather than politics.

If you need additional details, the CO₂ Coalition will be happy to respond to any inquiries you may have, and the members of the CO₂ Coalition will be happy to meet with you for further discussions.

Sincerely,

Gregory Wrightstone
Executive Director
The CO₂ Coalition

2677 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703-540-4700

Download the letter here:

CO2C Letter_Newsom re_EPA_Endangerment

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