BILL ANALYSIS
AJR 26
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AJR 26 (Chesbro)
As Amended January 14, 2010
Majority vote
NATURAL RESOURCES 6-2
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|Ayes:|Skinner, Brownley, | | |
| |Chesbro, | | |
| |De Leon, Hill, Huffman | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Knight, Logue | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requests the U.S. Congress to establish a
comprehensive framework, including dedicated funding for
adapting our nation's wildlife, habitats, coasts, watersheds,
rivers, and other natural resources and ecosystems to the
impacts of climate change.
EXISTING LAW requires:
1)ARB to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limit
equivalent to 1990 levels by 2020 and adopt regulations to
achieve maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective
GHG emission reductions.
2)The preparation of a Climate Action Team Report (CAT Report).
Each agency listed in the CAT Report must annually prepare a
list of measures implemented and proposed to be implemented to
meet the GHG reduction target established by the CAT Report.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : According to the author's office, this resolution
"attempts to address the lack of funding for climate change
adaptation. California does not have a dedicated funding source
for necessary planning and actions that will protect the state
from unavoidable climate change impacts. This resolution also
attempts to support federal climate change programs that include
comprehensive adaptation planning and implementation as an
essential element of those programs."
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Natural Resources Agency's Climate Adaptation Strategy (CAS) :
In December 2009, pursuant to a November 2008 Executive Order
(S-13-08), the Natural Resources Agency finalized its CAS, which
summarizes anticipated climate change impacts and recommends
near and long-term strategies to increase the resilience and
adaptive capacity of the state to respond to these impacts. The
CAS defines climate change adaptation as "Adjustments in natural
or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic
stimuli or their effects, which minimizes harm or takes
advantage of beneficial opportunities." Given budget
constraints, the CAS only commits to implement the near-term
strategies by December 2010 using existing resources.
Examples of more significant near-term strategies include the
development of sea-level rise adaptation plans or guidance by 12
resource departments and Caltrans, creation of a 23-member
Climate Adaptation Advisory Panel, and preparation of a Climate
Vulnerability Assessment. Moreover, the CAS recommends that
Local Coastal Plans be provisionally amended by 2011 to account
for climate change impacts, including sea-level rise; state
agencies should consider project alternatives that avoid
significant new development in areas that cannot be adequately
protected from flooding or erosion due to climate change.
Pending federal climate legislation and adaptation : The
American Clean Energy and Security Act (Waxman-Markey), approved
by the House of Representatives in June 2009, creates a
comprehensive National Climate Change Adaptation Program, which
creates a multitude of federal sub-programs to support both
state-level and international adaptation planning and action.
The Program includes research, governance, assessment, planning,
and funding elements.
Five adapation programs-domestic, wildlife and natural
resources, public health, federal agency, and international
efforts-would be funded by revenues generated by auctioning a
percentage of emission allowances, starting in 2012 and
continuing through 2050. The percentage of allowance proceeds
dedicated to adapation would ramp up over time, escaltating to
12% between 2027-2050. State funding allocations, contingent
upon an approved adapation plan, would be determined by
population and per capita income formula. Of the funding
dedicated to states, 84.4% is allocated to state wildlife
AJR 26
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agencies and 15.6% to state coastal agencies.
S. 1733, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act
(Kerry-Boxer), pending in the U.S. Senate, contains adaptation
provisions similar to the Waxman-Markey bill. In addition, it
includes provisions governing drinking water adaptation, flood
control and prevention, wildfire, and coastal/Great Lakes
adaptation. Funding similarly relies on auction revenues though
the bill dedicates 38.5% of revenues to states; of this amount,
32.5% will go to state wildlife agencies, 6% to state coastal
agencies.
Analysis Prepared by : Dan Chia / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092
FN: 0003551