California Air Resources Board Approves Climate Change Scoping Plan
This post was written by Katie Annand.
(This is the first post in a series of seven. This overview post can be used to view selected issues within the Scoping Plan. Please see bulleted list below.)
On December 11, 2008, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the Scoping Plan for AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The Scoping Plan, which has been in draft form since June 2008, outlines California’s strategies for meeting AB 32’s ambitious mandate: reduction of California greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The plan has the potential to be a model for other states’ – and the federal government’s – climate change strategies.
The measures in the plan are continuing to be developed by CARB and will be in place by 2012. For more information about specific focus areas discussed in the plan, click on the links above. For the complete Scoping Plan, click here.
Key strategies addressed in the Scoping Plan include Emissions Reduction Measures. These measures take into account both existing policies and new proposals and focus on the following areas:
- Energy Efficiency. Expanding and strengthening existing energy efficiency programs and raising efficiency standards. For more information, click here.
- Renewable Energy. Achieving a statewide renewable energy mix, requiring 33 percent of the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. For more information, click here.
- Cap and Trade Programs. Establishing a broad-based California cap and trade program to provide finite limits on emissions. For more information, click here.
- Transportation. Developing a wide range of programs and regulations to decrease GHG emissions from the transportation sector. For more information, click here.
- Fuel Standards. Adopting and implementing a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) to reduce the carbon intensity of fuels sold in California. For more information, click here.
- Targeted Fees. Creating targeted fees on GHG emission producing activities. For more information, click here.
