California

Summary: The Act caps California's greenhouse gas emissions at 1990 levels by 2020, and is the first state-wide program of its kind in the U.S.

Description: The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to design and implement a plan to achieve "the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas [GHG] emission reductions." The Act covers all major GHG emitting sectors of the economy, and all GHGs defined within the Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. The regulations ultimately adopted to achieve the necessary GHG emissions reductions must be compatible with other environmental laws and cannot "disproportionately impact low-income communities." Regulations must be adopted by 2011, and enforced by 2012.

Links:

• California Climate Change Portal
• Market Advisory Committee Recommendations Report to CARB
• Pew Climate Center summary of AB 32
• California Climate Change Emission Control Regulations Fact Sheet

Contacts:

AB 32 Contact List - ARB and State Partners (Lead Staff)

Last Updated 06/04/2009

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