Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006
Encyclopedia
The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, or Assembly Bill (AB) 32, is a California State Law that fights climate change
by establishing a comprehensive program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sources throughout the state. AB 32 was authored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez
(D-Los Angeles) and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
on September 27, 2006.
AB 32 requires the California Air Resources Board
(CARB
) to develop regulations and market mechanisms to reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, representing a 25% reduction statewide, with mandatory caps beginning in 2012 for significant emissions sources. The bill provides the Governor the ability to suspend the emissions caps for up to one year in the case of an emergency or significant economic harm.
The State of California leads the nation in energy efficiency standards and plays a lead role in environmental protection
, but is also the 12th largest emitter of carbon worldwide. Greenhouse gas emissions are defined in the bill to include all of the following: carbon dioxide
, methane
, nitrous oxide
, sulfur hexaflouride, hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. These are the same greenhouse gases listed in Annex A of the Kyoto Protocol
.
To date, ARB has identified nine discrete early action measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including regulations affecting landfills, motor vehicle fuels, refrigerants in cars, tire pressure, port operations and other sources. Regulatory development for additional measures is ongoing.
The Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (EJAC) has met 12 times since early 2007 and submitted comments and recommendations on the scoping plan in October 2008. The Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee (ETAAC) submitted a report of their recommendations to the Board in February 2008. The ETAAC also reviewed and provided comments on the scoping plan.
on the November 2010 ballot, which aimed to suspend AB 32 until state unemployment stayed below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters. The proposition was defeated by a wide margin.
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
by establishing a comprehensive program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sources throughout the state. AB 32 was authored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez
Fabian Núñez
Fabian Núñez has been a labor union adviser and a Democratic politician. He served three two year terms as a member of the State Assembly, leaving office late in 2008...
(D-Los Angeles) and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
on September 27, 2006.
AB 32 requires the California Air Resources Board
California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the...
(CARB
Carb
Carb may refer to:*Carbohydrate, a simple molecule*Carburetor, a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine*Carb , part of a bong or bowl that allows in air to be mixed with the smoke....
) to develop regulations and market mechanisms to reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, representing a 25% reduction statewide, with mandatory caps beginning in 2012 for significant emissions sources. The bill provides the Governor the ability to suspend the emissions caps for up to one year in the case of an emergency or significant economic harm.
The State of California leads the nation in energy efficiency standards and plays a lead role in environmental protection
Environmental protection
Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the environment, on individual, organizational or governmental level, for the benefit of the natural environment and humans. Due to the pressures of population and our technology the biophysical environment is being degraded, sometimes permanently...
, but is also the 12th largest emitter of carbon worldwide. Greenhouse gas emissions are defined in the bill to include all of the following: carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
, methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
, nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or sweet air, is a chemical compound with the formula . It is an oxide of nitrogen. At room temperature, it is a colorless non-flammable gas, with a slightly sweet odor and taste. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic...
, sulfur hexaflouride, hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. These are the same greenhouse gases listed in Annex A of the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
.
Requirements
AB 32 includes several specific requirements of the California Air Resources Board:- Prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
- Identify the statewide level of greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 to serve as the emissions limit to be achieved by 2020
- Adopt a regulation requiring the mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions
- Identify and adopt regulations for discrete early actions that could be enforceable on or before January 1, 2010
- Ensure early voluntary reductions receive appropriate credit in the implementation of AB 32
- Convene an Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (EJAC) to advise the Board in developing the Scoping Plan and any other pertinent matter in implementing AB 32
- Appoint an Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee (ETAAC) to provide recommendations for technologies, research and greenhouse gas emission reduction measures
Timeline
AB 32 stipulates the following timeline:| By Jan 1, 2009 | ARB adopts plan indicating how emission reductions will be achieved from significant sources of GHGs via regulations, market mechanisms and other actions |
| During 2009 | ARB staff drafts rule language to implement its plan and holds a series of public workshop on each measure (including market mechanisms) |
| By Jan 1, 2010 | Early action measures take effect |
| During 2010 | ARB conducts series of rulemakings, after workshops and public hearings, to adopt GHG regulations including rules governing market mechanisms |
| By Jan 1, 2011 | ARB completes major rulemakings for reducing GHGs including market mechanisms. ARB may revise the rules and adopt new ones after 1/1/2011 in furtherance of the 2020 cap |
| By Jan 1, 2012 | GHG rules and market mechanisms adopted by ARB take effect and are legally enforceable |
| December 31, 2020 | Deadline for achieving 2020 GHG emissions cap. |
Achievements
| December 2007 | ARB approves a limit of 427 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent Carbon dioxide equivalent Carbon dioxide equivalent and Equivalent carbon dioxide are two related but distinct measures for describing how much global warming a given type and amount of greenhouse gas may cause, using the functionally equivalent amount or concentration of carbon dioxide as the reference.- Global warming... (MMTCO2E) of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 |
| December 2007 | ARB adopts a regulation requiring the largest industrial sources to report and verify their greenhouse gas emissions. |
| February 2008 | ARB approves a policy statement encouraging voluntary early actions for emissions reductions and establishing a procedure for project proponents to submit quantification methods to be evaluated by ARB. |
| December 12, 2008 | Scoping plan approved and adopted by ARB, providing an outline of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from significant sources in California via regulations, market mechanisms and other actions. |
To date, ARB has identified nine discrete early action measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including regulations affecting landfills, motor vehicle fuels, refrigerants in cars, tire pressure, port operations and other sources. Regulatory development for additional measures is ongoing.
The Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (EJAC) has met 12 times since early 2007 and submitted comments and recommendations on the scoping plan in October 2008. The Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee (ETAAC) submitted a report of their recommendations to the Board in February 2008. The ETAAC also reviewed and provided comments on the scoping plan.
Strategies
- Cap-and-Trade Program: Firm limit on total greenhouse gas emissions. Covers 85% of all emissions statewide; includes participation in the Western Climate InitiativeWestern Climate InitiativeThe Western Climate Initiative, or WCI, is an initiative—started by states and provinces along the western rim of North America—to combat climate change caused by global warming, independent of their national governments....
- Electricity and Energy: Improved appliance efficiency standards and other energy efficiency measures; goal is for 33% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2020;
- High Global WarmingGlobal warmingGlobal warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
Potential Gases: reduce emissions and use of refrigerants and certain other gases that have much higher impact, per molecule than carbon dioxide - Agriculture: more efficient agricultural equipment, fuel use and water use
- Transportation: adherence to "Pavley Standards" to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles
- Industry: audit and regulate emissions from 800 largest industrial sources statewide, including the cement industry
- Forestry: preserve forest sequestration and other voluntary programs
- Waste and Recycling: reduce methane emissions from landfills; reduce waste and increase recycling/reuse
Cap-and-Trade
On December 17, 2010 ARB adopted a cap-and-trade program to place an upper limit on statewide greenhouse gas emissions. This is the first program of its kind in the United States. The program will take effect beginning in 2012, with a limit placed that year that will be reduced by two percent each year through 2015 and three percent each year from 2015 to 2020. The rules apply first to utilities and large industrial plants, and in 2015 will begin to be applied to fuel distributors as well, eventually totaling 360 businesses at 600 locations throughout the State of California. Free credits will be distributed to businesses to account for about 90 percent of overall emissions in their sector, but they must buy allowances, or credits, to account for additional emissions. Offsets - actions, such as the planting of trees, that absorb greenhouse gases, can also be relied upon to account for up to 8 percent of emissions.Economic Impacts
According to ARB, AB 32 is "generating jobs, promoting a growing, clean-energy economy and a healthy environment for California at the same time."- AB 32 supports efficiency-driven job growth
- California gets more clean energy venture capital investment than all states combined
- Green technologies produce new jobs faster
- Venture capital investment produces thousands of new jobs
- Green jobs are growing faster than any other industry
- California leads the nation in clean technology
- California’s economic powerhouses support AB 32
Political Challenges
The bill was challenged by Proposition 23California Proposition 23 (2010)
Proposition 23 was a California ballot proposition that was on the November 2, 2010 California statewide ballot It was defeated by California voters during the statewide election by a 23% margin.. If passed, it would have suspended AB 32, a law enacted in 2006 that is in extenso, legally referred...
on the November 2010 ballot, which aimed to suspend AB 32 until state unemployment stayed below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters. The proposition was defeated by a wide margin.
See also
- Climate ChangeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
- Kyoto ProtocolKyoto ProtocolThe Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
- Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008The Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008, also known as Senate Bill 375 or SB 375, is a State of California law targeting greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles. The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 sets goals for the reduction of statewide greenhouse gas...
- Regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air ActRegulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air ActThe United States Environmental Protection Agency began regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act from mobile and stationary sources of air pollution for the first time on January 2, 2011...