California Governor Jerry Brown and California lawmakers last week unveiled a legislative package that would extend the state’s market-based system for reducing carbon and other greenhouse gases through 2030. California’s current cap on greenhouse gases is set to expire in 2020 without new legislation.
The package would grant the California Air Resources Board the authority to set a ceiling price for carbon, reduce the amount of offsets that can be used for compliance, and require that at least half of all offsets come from in-state projects. Monitoring systems would be set up to track conventional air pollutants in frontline communities, and penalties would be increased for violating air quality laws.
As world leaders gathered recently for the G20 meeting, California Gov. Jerry Brown also announced that his state would host a global climate change summit in September 2018. The summit will convene leaders from states, cities, and businesses to demonstrate climate action, highlight the transition to the clean energy economy, and spur deeper commitments from all parties, including national governments.
