Climate Plan Will Stimulate Economy, Environment

Still – some aspects need strengthening

SACRAMENTO -- The California Air Resources Board’s newly revised plan for addressing global warming over the next 40 years packs a powerful punch, but still needs strengthening before its final adoption in November.

Released today, ARB’s proposed plan promises to boost California’s economy as it reduces the pollution that causes global warming and improves air quality. Curbing greenhouse gas pollution will stimulate the creation of green jobs in industries like clean power and energy efficiency.

Notably, the new plan promises to cut more emissions than previous drafts did, and proposes the auctioning of emission allowances to polluters.

ARB is right to acknowledge that polluters should have to pay for their emissions. Now we urge ARB to work with the Legislature to realize that goal.

While the draft plan does limit emission offsets more than the draft did, it still allows almost half of emission reductions to come from offsets, from anywhere in the world – not just from California. This would allow pollution to continue in low-income communities that already carry a heavier burden of polluting industries. ARB still must put in place safeguards to assure that pollution trading and offsets do not harm air quality in those communities.

That said , Sierra Club California supports ARB’s newly proposed measures to reduce pollution from oil refineries. These new measures will help Californians in polluted communities breathe easier.

We also applaud the Air and Waste Boards for recognizing the great potential of recycling measures, even as he called on the state to enhance its emissions reductions target for land use. Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Climate Action Team proposed reducing land-use-related greenhouse gas emissions by 18 million metric tons, but ARB’s current plan falls far short.

ARB just increased the emission reductions expected from recycling from one million metric tons to 10 million metric tons – that’s like getting 1.5 million more cars off the road. If ARB followed the Climate Action Team’s advice, it would be like getting rid of 3 million more cars by 2020.

The full California Air Resources Board will vote to adopt, reject or redraft the plan in December 2008.