California Gears Up to Set Ambitious Energy and Emissions Goals

Earlier this month, the California legislature pushed forward the agenda to mitigate climate change with clean energy and reduced emissions goals by passing several bills through their houses of origin. The following bills will next undergo scrutiny in the opposite house:

Assembly Bill 645 (Williams & Rendon) increases the current renewable energy standard of 33% to 50% by 2030.
AB 1288 (Atkins) extends the cap-and-trade program beyond 2020, ensuring the state’s commitment to effective carbon reduction strategies and predictability for businesses.

Senate Bill 32 (Pavley) sets the reduction target for greenhouse gas emission to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
SB 185 (de León & Hill) supports the pension funds of public employees and teachers to divest from coal companies.
SB 350 (de León & Leno) sets ambitious goals for 2030: to generate 50% of electricity from renewable sources, cut vehicular petroleum use in half, and double the energy efficiency of existing buildings.
SB 367 (Wolk) promotes and funds agricultural practices with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
SB 379 (Jackson) requires cities and counties to add climate change adaptation and resiliency in the safety element of the general plan.

The bills are aligned with Governor Brown’s recent executive order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the next 15 years to 40% below the levels in 1990 and the G-7 summit in Germany. Although the bills are projected to stimulate the State economy,opponents argue that the legislation would favor particular sectors and urban areas while eliminating economic opportunities for the energy, agricultural, and transportation industries in the Central Valley. Meanwhile, energy experts are uncertain of the daily costs and impacts on taxpayers and business owners should the golas be set.

The responsibilities of implementing the enacted legislation, particularly to reduce vehicular emissions, are left for future lawmakers as well as the California Air Resources Board. Switching from petroleum to renewable energy will influence the types of vehicles driven and the powering of homes and buildings throughout California. While the impending follow through of the legislation remains speculative, energy experts are most hopeful that new, innovative technologies will be developed to meet these future goals.