Cap and trade
Brown signs historic cap and trade bill authored by Garcia.
SAN FRANCISCO — The state of California cemented its position as a world leader in the fight against climate change after Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 398, authored by Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia which extends the state’s cap-andtrade program.
The program, which is designed to incentivize companies to pollute less as it requires them to buy permits if they emit more than 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The five-year program was set to expire in 2020, but with the approval of AB 398 will extend that date to 2030 as California continues its efforts to minimize the impacts of climate change and in turn allows the state to reap the benefits of collecting additional revenue by selling emission permits.
“California is leading the world in dealing with a principal existential threat that humanity faces,” Brown said during the signing ceremony of the bill which took place in Treasure Island. “We are a nation-state in a globalizing world and we’re having an impact and you’re here witnessing one of the key milestones in turning around this carbonized world into a decarbonized, sustainable future.”
The extension of the cap and trade program is part of the continuous efforts the state of California is taking as part of meeting its ambitious climate goals among which they have set a target to reduce greenhouse gases by 40 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2030.
Although support for the bill came largely along party lines, eight Republican assemblymen and one Republican senator were among those who supported the efforts.
“California has come together to act on climate, united across party lines with one clear vision for the future ... together, through an unprecedented collaborative, bipartisan effort AB 398 will establish a comprehensive mechanism to allow us to achieve our ambitious climate goals, retain industry jobs to sustain our ever growing, clean green economy, all while addressing vital public health and air quality issues,” Garcia said. “As we work to reach our 2030 emission reduction goals, over time this system would reduce tax burden and prove significantly less costly to Californian households.”
Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who signed AB 32 back in 2006 which provided the foundation of the cap and trade program, was also in attendance for the signing of the milestone legislation.
“Thanks to bipartisan support California was able to extend its historic cap and trade program which protects our environment and preserves our nation- leading economic growth,” former Gov. Schwarzenegger said. “Governor Brown and legislative leaders from both parties came together to ensure that California continues to march toward a clean, prosperous future.”
The signing of the bill comes in stark contrast as to the actions the federal government under President Donald Trump, whose administration has taken action to undermine climate policies at the federal level disregarding consensus among the scientific community.
In his budget proposal, Trump proposed severe cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including the elimination of the Environmental Justice office and proposing to reduce staff by nearly half.
Regardless of what happens in Washington D.C., Garcia and California lawmakers are continuing to take decisive steps in addressing climate concerns. Currently, other legislation the state legislators are con- sidering includes SB 100 which intends to make California run 100 percent on renewable energy by 2045.
“This landmark journey began last year with the passage of SB 32 and AB 197; where we were successful in shifting the global warming dialogue from polar bears and melting ice caps to focus on the severe public health consequences facing disadvantaged, environmentally vulnerable communities; like those in my district,” Garcia said. “I am proud of the positive trajectory we have created. Thanks to our advocacy efforts California’s climate change policies are centered on air quality to bring about greater transparency and true climate equity in areas that historically have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.”