The California Air Resources Board this week released its proposed plan to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The plan is slated to go before the board for approval at its December meeting.
“Today marks another step forward in California’s fight against global warming,” says Mary Nichols, CARB chairman. “This plan is good for the environment and public health, and it sets California on a course toward a more secure and sustainable economy. Our comprehensive approach steers California away from its dependence on fossil fuels and accelerates the state’s necessary transition toward a clean-energy future.”
CARB says the plan constitutes the cornerstone of a concerted effort by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration to address climate change: This includes SB 375 (Steinberg), a bill that promotes smart growth and provides incentives for creating attractive, walkable and sustainable communities and revitalizing existing communities; and AB 3018 (Nunez), a bill that establishes the Green Collar Jobs Council to develop an array of programs, strategies and resources to address the work force needs that will accompany California’s growing green economy. Schwarzenegger signed both bills last week.
Nichols says the state’s coordinated approach “serves as an example for the nation in forward thinking about our economic future. California’s plan will drive innovation, create thousands of new jobs, and provide a wealth of opportunities for California to export technology and help fight global warming around the world.”
Development of the Scoping Plan is a central requirement of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Nu
