California Carbon Emission Legislation

California Carbon Emission Legislation Takes Form

Controversial it may be, but California carbon emission legislation has just taken a quantum leap forward with a raft of regulations adopted on January 1. According to AB 32, the so-called Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, the state board adopted regulations on that day to implement a list of discrete early action greenhouse gas emission reduction measures.

During 2009, the California Air Resource Board adopted a scoping plan to help the state achieve the maximum "technologically feasible and cost-effective" reductions, scheduled for measurement in the year 2020. A 25% reduction, as measured against the baseline year of 1990, is targeted.

Controversial it may be, but California carbon emission legislation has just taken a quantum leap forward with a raft of regulations adopted on January 1. According to AB 32, the so-called Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, the state board adopted regulations on that day to implement a list of discrete early action greenhouse gas emission reduction measures.

When the California carbon emission legislation was first passed in 2006 it became the nation's first economy wide cap on global warming emissions. Not only is the state the most populous in the union, but it is also deemed to have much to lose should climate change be allowed to proceed unabated. The California Climate Change Center demonstrated that should no action be taken, the state will face a future of even poorer air quality (already a problem), a considerable rise in extreme heat events, more frequent and larger wildfires and extreme drought.

Rewarding Voluntary Compliance with AB 32 as Part of Scoping Plan

AB-32, the California carbon emission legislation, was sold to the electorate on the basis of considerable environmental potential and also economic boosts to the state. It was said that new emission limits could boost the state's gross product by up to $74 billion and create a significant 17 to 89,000 new jobs.

California is the sixth largest global economy and any action taken here is sure to reverberate around the world. The state has always been a leader within the United States in enacting climate related measures, putting in place restrictions on big business accordingly.

The concept behind California carbon emission legislation as tabled under AB-32 is to cap all greenhouse gas emissions from major industries and to include penalties for noncompliance. The much-maligned market-based compliance mechanisms known as "cap and trade" form the centerpiece of the legislation and organizations within the state must now take every action to understand and get ready for compliance.

Early Action Pays Off: AB 32 Scoping Plan

The California Air Resource Board has approved its scoping plan for achieving the stated greenhouse gas emission reductions through the year 2020. Those organizations that take advantage of "early action" emission reduction measures must now be active. All affected organizations must realize that the market-based cap and trade system is likely to go into effect at the end of next year.

With the loss of the Democratic majority in the Senate, stringent and far-reaching nationwide climate laws seem less likely during 2010. However, after the midterm elections, we can expect a renewed fight to adopt cap and trade programs across the country.

About Verisae

Verisae helps measure, manage and reduce equipment and energy costs including the related business and environmental impacts of carbon emissions. The Sustainability Resource Planning (“SRP”) software platform improves operational efficiency, protects brand integrity and helps ensure regulatory compliance for distributed enterprises across many industries. Verisae delivers a broad range of sustainability solutions to dozens of clients globally with thousands of daily users including an extended network of third-party suppliers. Verisae’s integrated sustainability platform actively tracks millions of assets across thousands of sites worldwide.

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