Current Events > California Slashes Emissions to 1990s LeveI, Reaches Climate Goal Years Early

(+) Yeah! (+)

The California Air Resources Board just announced that greenhouse gas pollution in California fell below 1990 levels for the first time since emissions peaked in 2004an achievement roughly equal to taking 12 million cars off the road or saving 6 billion gallons of gasoline a year.

California set the toughest emissions targets in the nation, tracked progress and delivered results, said Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. The next step is for California to cut emissions below 1990 levels by 2030 a heroic and very ambitious goal.

Under Assembly Bill 32 passed in 2006, California must reduce its emissions to 1990 levels (431 million metric tons) by 2020. The 2016 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory published today shows that California emitted 429 million metric tons of climate pollutants in 2016 a drop of 12 million metric tons, or three percent, from 2015.

In California we see the impacts of climate change all around us, but our efforts to curb its worst impacts are on track. We are well positioned to meet the challenge of the 2030 target, said CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols. This is great news for the health of Californians, the states environment and its economy, even as we face the failure of our national leadership to address climate change.

Senate Bill 32, signed in 2016, requires the state to go even further than AB 32 and cut emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030the most ambitious carbon goal in North America.

The states annual emissions inventory helps keep the state accountable for meeting its emissions reduction targets. Highlights from the inventory published today include carbon pollution dropping 13 percent statewide; meanwhile, the economy grew 26 percent. Per capita emissions continue to be among the lowest in the country, at approximately half as much as the national average.

Additionally, Carbon pollution dropped 3 percent between 2015 and 2016roughly equal to taking 2.4 million cars off the road or saving 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel. California now produces twice as many goods and services for the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as the rest of the nation.

Thanks to the carbon price signal created by the Cap-and-Trade Program that makes fossil fuel generation more expensive, cleaner out-of-state electricity is increasingly taking the place of fuels such as coal. This included more imports of hydroelectric power from outside the state, which grew by nearly 39 percent in 2016 thanks to abundant rainfall throughout the West Coast.

Emissions may vary from year-to-year depending on the weather and other factors, said CARB Executive Officer Richard Corey. However, this inventory demonstrates that our policies are working to incentivize GHG-free energy sources and ensure the state remains on track to meet its climate targets in 2020 and beyond.

Emissions from the industrial sector including refineries, oil and gas extraction, cement plants, and other stationary sources fell 2 percent from 2015 levels, though emissions from refineries increased slightly.

The latest data for this inventory is from 2016. This is because the process for verifying and validating required reporting of emissions from all facilities under the Cap-and-Trade Program takes more than a year, and additional data undergoes rigorous vetting by other government agencies.

Full Article: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/california-slashes-emissions-to-1990s-level-reaches-climate-goal-years-early/



Well done Cali
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This is what happens when you care more about the general welfare of the people rather than a few of the leaders of Capitalism.

As we see, a strong, centralized government is better for its people than a weak, corporate-influenced, capitalist-minded government, which is why communism will always reign supreme to Capitalism.
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Superficially this is great, but:

Thanks to the carbon price signal created by the Cap-and-Trade Program that makes fossil fuel generation more expensive, cleaner out-of-state electricity is increasingly taking the place of fuels such as coal. This included more imports of hydroelectric power from outside the state, which grew by nearly 39 percent in 2016 thanks to abundant rainfall throughout the West Coast.

It sounds like their "gains" are mostly from killing power generation and increasing demand from surrounding states, so I don't know if the net gain is anything at all, or at least not as much as they claim.
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PiOverlord posted...

communism will always reign supreme to Capitalism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJX4ytfqw6k" data-time="
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UnfairRepresent posted...

The California Air Resources Board just announced that greenhouse gas pollution in California fell below 1990 levels for the first time since emissions peaked in 2004an achievement roughly equal to taking 12 million cars off the road or saving 6 billion gallons of gasoline a year.

California set the toughest emissions targets in the nation, tracked progress and delivered results, said Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. The next step is for California to cut emissions below 1990 levels by 2030 a heroic and very ambitious goal.

Uh, so their goal already reached? It just said emissions were cut down to that level. Stupid article and stupid fucking people
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We da bess
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s0nicfan posted...

Superficially this is great, but:

Thanks to the carbon price signal created by the Cap-and-Trade Program that makes fossil fuel generation more expensive, cleaner out-of-state electricity is increasingly taking the place of fuels such as coal. This included more imports of hydroelectric power from outside the state, which grew by nearly 39 percent in 2016 thanks to abundant rainfall throughout the West Coast.

It sounds like their "gains" are mostly from killing power generation and increasing demand from surrounding states, so I don't know if the net gain is anything at all, or at least not as much as they claim.

it specifies "cleaner" out of state energy, so I assume its at least better than in-state "dirty" power
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UnfairRepresent posted...

PiOverlord posted...

communism will always reign supreme to Capitalism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJX4ytfqw6k" data-time="

Yeah, the Capitalists on this board are crazy, frenzy piranhas that refuse to accept the truth.
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I guess raising taxes to the point where your citizens leave does have a positive effect on emissions.
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Tropicalwood posted...

I guess raising taxes to the point where your citizens leave does have a positive effect on emissions.

UnfairRepresent posted...

; meanwhile, the economy grew 26 percent.

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Cool. Time to set even more progressive goals and work on them. Get to 0 emissions.
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Tropicalwood posted...

I guess raising taxes to the point where your citizens leave does have a positive effect on emissions.

California's population is growing. 10 million more than in 1990 in fact.

Broseph_Stalin posted...

10 million more than in 1990 in fact.

Christ.

That's twice the population of Scotland within 30 years.

Terrifying to think about
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Why do red hats hate California so much?

Like they hear good news like this and still shit on it
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Samurontai posted...

Why do red hats hate California so much?

Like they hear good news like this and still shit on it

Liberal states being better than red states is really bad for the conservative narrative.

Samurontai posted...

Why do red hats hate California so much?

Like they hear good news like this and still shit on it

I think it's because as a generalization people from California tend to be what the Ancient Romans used to refer to as "Fucking Crazy Ass Bitches Yo."

I mean if it wasn't for Florida, the internet meme would be California man
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PiOverlord posted...

This is what happens when you care more about the general welfare of the people rather than a few of the leaders of Capitalism.

This is what happens when most of your industry relocates to Nevada or Texas, or Mexico.

Questionmarktarius posted...

This is what happens when most of your industry relocates to Nevada or Texas, or Mexico.

This isn't happening. Please find better news sources.

UnfairRepresent posted...

Samurontai posted...

Why do red hats hate California so much?

Like they hear good news like this and still shit on it

I think it's because as a generalization people from California tend to be what the Ancient Romans used to refer to as "Fucking Crazy Ass Bitches Yo."

I mean if it wasn't for Florida, the internet meme would be California man

I mean... youre not wrong lol
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Broseph_Stalin posted...

Questionmarktarius posted...

This is what happens when most of your industry relocates to Nevada or Texas, or Mexico.

This isn't happening. Please find better news sources.

Well, okay. Maybe not Nevada and Texas.

Lol, like the 90s levels were any good either. Baby steps I guess for commifornia.
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Questionmarktarius posted...

Well, okay. Maybe not Nevada and Texas.

California's economy is booming. The strongest in the nation. And this is ignoring the fact that industry isn't even close to being the largest producer of greenhouse gasses.

Please find better news sources.

KillerKhan420 posted...

Lol, like the 90s levels were any good either. Baby steps I guess for commifornia.

the salt must flow
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