California: Trend-setter leads the way on climate

I remember a book, in the early ‘70s, called “The Late, Great State of California.” The main thrust was the state split off from the continent in a massive earthquake. But it also pointed out how important California was, and that often the state started trends that then moved east across the country. Let’s hope that’s the case with mitigation of greenhouse gases.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his “Republic of California,” (pronounce that with a hard “i”) are forging ahead and not waiting for the federal government to act on Global Warming.

In his State of the State address this month, the governor ordered a 10% reduction in GHG emissions from motor vehicles between now and 2020. This move could triple the use of the renewable fuels, according to Greenwire.

Transportation accounts for more than 40% of California’s GHG emissions, according to the Los Angeles Times.

State regulators will develop low-carbon fuel standards to increase the sale of clean fuels and encourage the purchase of flex-fuel and hybrid cars. Fuel manufacturers would have a number of ways to meet the criteria, including a market to trade carbon credits.

Last summer, the legislature passed a law to cut overall GHG by 20% of 1990 levels by 2020. The new executive order will help the state reach its goal. Additional cuts will come from power plants and forestry.

Other steps taken
California has been ahead of the curve. An earlier executive order, in 2005, set goals to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050. The 2006 law, for the short range, is even stronger.

California also bars investor-owned utilities from long-term contracts if emissions exceed those of the cleanest gas-driven plants.

The first state to attempt to regulate CO2 tailpipe emissions, California’s Pavley law requires automakers to reduce the average emissions of the cars it sells in California by 30%, beginning in 2009. Light trucks and SUVs must meet the same standard by 2016. (That law is being challenged in court by the auto industry so it hasn’t taken effect.)

In August, Schwarzenegger signed legislation to make solar panels a standard option for new-home buyers by 2012. State utility regulators established a $5,500 rebate for builders who install such systems, which cost $20,000. Federal law gives them a $2,000 tax credit.

The state recently added electronics chargers and remote controls to a long list of appliances that must be energy efficient.

Wouldn’t it be nice of all our governors were that eager to take on Global Warming.

Climate crisis reports
So, why is Arnold, the former Hummer driver, so willing to act on climate change? It’s likely related to the release of a couple of studies about the impact Global Warming would have on California. One, from the University of California-Berkeley, said limiting emissions would increase the gross state product by $60 million and create 20,000 clean technology jobs. Another report, by the California Climate Change Center and the Union for Concerned Scientists, warned of coastal flooding, water shortages for drinking and agriculture, health problems, more wildfires, heat waves and damage to the economy resulting from an expected increase in temperature.

More specifically, it said if the temperature goes up 5.5 to 8 degrees F (the middle scenario), sea levels could rise 14-22 inches, wildfires could increase by 55%, and 70-80% of the Sierra snowpack could be lost, as well as 30% of pine forest yields. Heat-wave days in major urban areas could shoot up 2.5 to 4 times, causing 2-6 times more deaths. And the number of critically dry years could double. To read more about this study, see www.climatechoices.org.

California is not insignificant. It has the world’s 6th largest economy and it furnishes half our country’s fruits and vegetables, not to mention it’s wine business (the largest in the U.S.), tourism, ports, and, of course, the center of world-wide entertainment. Steps it takes will make a difference and are likely to be copied by others.


Congressional round-up

• A plan to make utilities get 15% of their power from renewables by 2020 is one of the goals of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Committee Chair Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) argued that more than 20 states already have renewable portfolio standards (RPS). Other goals include energy efficiency; extension of tax credits to 2017 for renewable energy, biofuels and fuel-efficient vehicles; and more research by the Department of Energy.

• Senate Commerce Committee Democrats support a bill to increase corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards to 35 mpg by the 2019 model year. Chair Dan Inouye (D-Hawaii) sponsored the bill, which could reduce GHG emissions 18% by 2025. The White House opposes Congress setting mileage standards and wants the Transportation Department to have that authority. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who previous opposed CAFE legislation, has his own bill to increase efficiency to 40 mph by 2017, but gives authority to the Transportation Dept. to set mileage standards for the next 5-6 years. Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) said he plans to hold hearings on CAFE next week in his Energy Committee.

• Reps. John Olver (D-Mass.) and Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.) introduced a House companion bill to the Lieberman-McCain Climate Stewardship Act. This version differs slightly by asking for more stringent emissions cuts by 2050 and does not specifically promote new technologies.

• Sens. Bingaman and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) plan a series of private meetings with other Senate offices to try to reach consensus on global warming. The meetings, which start Feb. 2, will be held every second week. Spector, from a coal state, has twice voted against mandatory limits on GHG but signaled a possible position change in 2005.


News briefs

1. What Bush said – and didn’t say – in the State of the Union
The speech was more about energy independence than Global Warming. The president called for a 20% cut in the projected use of gasoline in 10 years by increasing production of ethanol and other alternative fuels to five times the current rate. Included in those fuels is liquefied coal, which causes twice as many GHG as gasoline. He also called for increasing fuel-efficiency for cars and trucks by 4% a year, starting in 2010 for cars and 2012 for trucks. Cars and trucks contribute one-third of greenhouse gases nationwide. He said nothing about power plant emissions nor did he set a goal for reducing greenhouse gases. Even with implementation of Bush’s plan, there will likely be a 14% increase in GHG emissions by 2017 as energy demand rises, said Philip Clapp, president of the National Environmental Trust. (Source: New York Times)

2. President then signed executive order on GHG
In an executive order signed after the speech, Bush ordered gasoline use in the federal fleet reduced by 2% annually through 2015 by using alternative fuels in flex-fuel cars. He also called for reduction of GHG by curbing energy “intensity” 30% by 2015. Intensity means in relation to the growth of the economy, not in real amounts. (Source: Greenwire)

3. Biofuels will have to be imported to meet projected goals
Biofuel imports will be needed to meet the goals outlined by the president last week, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said Thursday. Tariffs on ethanol likely won’t be extended past 2008, he said. Meanwhile, Brazil, the largest exporter of ethanol, is eager to help solve the problem. Brazil makes its ethanol from sugar cane, which is the cheapest process. But tariffs have discourage ethanol imports to the U.S. (Sources: E&ENewsPM and PlanetArk.)

4. School district backs down on restricting Gore film
A school board in Washington state reversed itself after the organization Progressive Majority generated 18,000 e-mails to board members in about 24 hours. The School Board in Federal Way, Wash., had ruled that teachers who show the “An Inconvenient Truth” must also present a “credible, opposing view.” That ruling followed the complaint by a parent who believes the Earth is 14,000 years old, and said the film presented a “cockeyed view” and that “the Bible says that in the end of time everything will burn up, but that perspective isn’t in [the film].” In a related story about the film, the National Science Teachers Assoc. refused to help distribute 50,000 donated copies of the movie. Producer Laurie David said it was because they were concerned the oil industry might pull some of its funding. She noted the group had distributed movies by oil companies. ”An Inconvenient Truth” garnered two Academy Award nominations. (Source: Greenwire)

5. Sea levels likely to continue rising for 1,000 years
Sea levels could rise 11 to 16.9 inches this century, nearly 3 feet more in the 2100s, and another 11 to 31 inches by 2300, according to a draft U.N. climate report due out next week. The increases would then begin to taper off, but seas would continue to rise for 1,000 years, even if GHG emissions are reduced in the near future. The draft by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also predicts a temperature increase of 3.6 to 8.1 degrees F above pre-industrial levels, with a best estimate of 5.4 degrees, if CO2 emissions are stabilized a 45% above current levels, according to those who have seen the document. (Source: E&ENewsPM)

6. GAO: Alternative energy today won’t cut into oil imports
Federal spending on alternative energy is insufficient stop the growing reliance on foreign oil over the next 25 years, according a report from the Government Accounting Office. Unless there is dramatic change in energy policy and R&D spending, it is likely U.S. dependence on foreign oil will grow, the report said. Imports now fill two-thirds of the country’s oil demand, compared with 40% in 1980. The Department of Energy’s R&D budget fell more than 85% from 1978 to 2005, from $5.5 billion to just $793 million. (Source: Greenwire)

7. American executives less worried about Global Warming
A survey of CEOs from around the globe, unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, showed on average 40% were concerned about Global Warming. But only 18% from America were. Highest concern was among the Japanese execs (70%) and South Koreans (60%), followed by Germany, China, Latin America and Britain. The U.S. was near the bottom along with Italy and Russia. 83% of the Japanese, 51% of South Koreans and 26% of Americans said their companies had invested in solutions. (Source: New York Times)


Do something
It’s time to go carbon-neutral. You can offset the CO2 you produce by going to www.carbonfund.org. Use their calculator to estimate the carbon you produce and offset it by making a donation. You can choose whether your money goes to alternative energy, reforestation or energy efficiency. Offset your carbon footprint. I’ve done it. Al Gore has done it. You should too.