California Can Grow Advanced Manufacturing and Achieve Climate Goals

The Bay Area Council’s Climate Mitigation Task Force, behind the leadership of Co-Chairs Nathan Fleischer from Apple and Regina Donaldson from Bayer, yesterday (Dec. 9) led an important discussion on how expanding advanced manufacturing and bridge technologies can help California substantially reduce carbon emissions in the near-term while working towards longer-term goals of reaching a zero-carbon future.

Yesterday, members engaged in a robust discussion on how California can better attract and retain advanced manufacturing and clean technology investment. We were honored to be joined by State Senator Scott Wiener and Poonum Patel, Deputy Director of Business Investment Services at GoBiz, whose participation grounded the conversation in both legislative and economic development perspectives.

Patel highlighted advanced manufacturing as a cornerstone of California’s jobs strategy and emphasized how tools like AB 131—environmental streamlining legislation the Bay Area Council helped pass this year–can help compete for cutting-edge industries—while also underscoring that businesses often value predictable timelines and reliable energy access as much as, or more than, financial incentives. Senator Wiener spoke candidly about the need to refine the definition of advanced manufacturing without undermining California’s competitiveness, and shared insight into the current legislative landscape.

The discussion also surfaced real-world examples of projects lost to other states due to regulatory uncertainty, reinforcing the urgency of preserving and strengthening AB 131. Participants discussed the importance of balancing environmental protections with pragmatic policies that enable clean, advanced manufacturing to locate and grow in California. The discussion also helped inform a detailed memorandum on various bridge technologies and strategies that we will be sharing with legislators and other policymakers ahead of the 2026 Legislative session.