BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2702
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Date of Hearing: April 18, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Das Williams, Chair
AB 2702
(Atkins) - As Amended March 18, 2016
SUBJECT: Greenhouse gases: study
SUMMARY: Requires the Air Resources Board (ARB) to conduct a
study that outlines best practices and policies for meeting
state goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
EXISTING LAW requires ARB, pursuant to California Global Warming
Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), to:
1)Adopt a statewide GHG emissions limit equivalent to 1990
levels by 2020 and adopt regulations to achieve maximum
technologically feasible and cost-effective GHG emission
reductions.
2)Prepare and approve a scoping plan, on or before January 1,
2009, and once every five years thereafter, for achieving the
maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions
in GHG emissions from sources of emissions by 2020.
THIS BILL:
1)Requires ARB, no later than July 1, 2018, to conduct a study
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that outlines best practices and policies for meeting state
goals to reduce GHG emissions.
2)Makes related findings regarding California's leadership on
climate change, including the "Under 2 MOU" committing
California and other signatories to either reducing the
emissions of GHGs 80 to 95% below 1990 levels by 2050 or
achieving a per capita annual emissions target of less than 2
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
1)Background. As part of AB 32's direction that ARB adopt a
statewide GHG emissions limit equivalent to 1990 levels by
2020 and adopt regulations to achieve maximum technologically
feasible and cost-effective GHG emission reductions, AB 32
requires ARB to prepare and approve a scoping plan at
five-year intervals.
The first AB 32 scoping plan, adopted by ARB in 2008,
described the specific measures ARB and others must take to
reduce statewide GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
Pursuant to AB 32, the reduction measures identified in the
scoping plan had to be proposed, reviewed, and adopted as
individual regulations by January 1, 2011, to become operative
beginning on January 1, 2012.
In May 2014, ARB adopted a scoping plan update. The scoping
plan update discusses the objective of achieving an 80%
reduction by 2050 and the need for a midterm target, but does
not propose or adopt a specific target. According to ARB, the
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update defines ARB's climate change priorities for the next
five years and sets the groundwork to reach California's
long-term climate goals.
The Global Climate Leadership Memorandum of Understanding
(Under 2 MOU) is a non-binding agreement initiated by Governor
Brown and 11 other subnational signatories in May 2015, which
has since been signed by over 100 additional subnational
jurisdictions. The Under 2 MOU commits the signatories to
pursue either reducing the emissions of GHGs 80 to 95% below
1990 levels by 2050 or achieving a per capita annual emissions
target of less than 2 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
by 2050, with the goal of limiting global warming to less than
two degrees Celsius.
2)Author's statement:
There are a number of programs, policies, and other actions
being implemented at the state and local levels to help
reduce GHG emissions. However, the most effective programs
and policies in the short-term, mid-term, and long-term
have not been assessed and/or inventoried.
AB 2702 will create a clearinghouse of best practices which
will ultimately assist local governments and other entities
in implementing the Under 2 MOU by identifying those
programs, policies, and actions that provide effective GHG
emission reduction strategies.
California is a leader in the fight to address climate
change and the Under 2 MOU represents an opportunity to
engage local governments within the state and around the
world in the effort to limit the temperature rise of the
planet to less than 2 degrees.
AB 2702
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REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Environment California
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Lawrence Lingbloom / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092