BILL ANALYSIS
AJR 26
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Senator S. Joseph Simitian, Chairman
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: AJR 26
AUTHOR: Chesbro
AMENDED: January 25, 2010
FISCAL: No HEARING DATE: June 14, 2010
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: Amber Hartman
SUBJECT : CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
SUMMARY :
Existing law :
1) Under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006
(CGWSA):
a) Requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to
determine the 1990 statewide greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions level and approve a statewide GHG emissions
limit that is equivalent to that level, to be achieved
by 2020, and sets various requirements to meet this
requirement. (Health and Safety Code 38500 et seq.).
b) Provides legislative intent that the Climate Action
Team (CAT), established by the Governor to coordinate
efforts set forth under Executive Order S-3-05, continue
its role in coordinating overall climate policy
(38501(i)).
2) Requires each state agency to annually prepare and submit
certain GHG-related information to the Secretary for
Environmental Protection, and provides definitions for
certain terms. (Government Code 12890 et seq.).
This bill :
1)Makes various findings regarding the impacts of climate
change on California's economy, natural resources, public
health and safety.
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2)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.
COMMENTS :
1) Purpose of Bill . According to the author, "Climate change
presents the most pressing threat to California's natural
resources in the 21st century. California's economy is
linked to the health and vitality of our natural resources,
which support the state's valuable agricultural, outdoor
recreation, tourism, and other industries. Despite the
success of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
previous and current emissions have created unavoidable
climate change impacts that threaten our natural resources,
human communities, and economy."
2) Climate Action Team . Executive Order S-3-05 establishes
the Climate Action Team (CAT) chaired by the Secretary for
Environmental Protection, and requires the Secretary to
coordinate oversight of the efforts to meet GHG emission
reduction targets under the GWSA and to coordinate state
policy to meet certain goals consistent with the CGWSA.
The CAT oversees the state's Climate Adaptation Strategy.
AB 2329 (Ruskin) of 2010 would codify the Climate Action
Team, which develops the state's Climate Adaptation
Strategy. (Senate Rules Committee)
Several previous attempts at codifying the CAT have failed
including SB 1760 (Perata) of 2007 and SB 721
(Steinberg) of 2009.
3) Pending federal legislation . Four pieces of federal
climate change legislation are pending in the U.S.
Congress:
Carbon Limits and Energy for American Renewal
Act (Cantwell-Collins)
The Clean Energy, Jobs, and American Power Act
(Boxer-Kerry)
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American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009
(Waxman-Markey)
The American Power Act (Kerry-Lieberman)
Both the Boxer-Kerry and Waxman-Markey legislation include
adaptation policy language and funding provisions in their
current forms.
1) CAT adaptation report . Last year the 2009 California
Climate Adaptation Strategy was published by the CAT in
response to Executive Order S-13-08. The report summarizes
the best known science on climate change impacts in seven
specific sectors (public health, ocean and coastal
resources, water supply and flood protection, agriculture,
forestry, biodiversity and habitat, and transportation and
energy infrastructure) and provides recommendations on how
to manage against those threats.
The report also points out the need for additional funding
sources to be able to continue climate adaptation projects:
"All participating agencies prepared this report with
existing resources amidst a serious state financial crisis.
It is clear that more funding will be needed to address
all aspects of climate adaptation and that potential
sources will need to be sought from agencies and
organizations at all levels to address the full scope of
the problem. At this time CNRA is currently seeking
additional funding for climate adaptation work."
2) Costs of inaction . The Climate Adaptation Strategy report
also points out the potential costs of not addressing
climate change impacts. It cites a 2008 study by UC
Berkeley and the Next10 non-profit organization that
estimates "if no such action is taken in California,
damages across sectors would result in tens of billions of
dollars per year in direct costs" and "expose trillions of
dollars of assets to collateral risk." More specifically,
the report suggests that of the state's $4 trillion in real
estate assets "$2.5 trillion is at risk from extreme
weather events, sea level rise, and wildfires" with a
projected annual price tag of up to $3.9 billion over this
century depending on climate scenarios
( www.next10.org/research/research_ccrr.html ).
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3) Related legislation . SB 1006 (Pavley) of 2010 requires the
Strategic Growth Council to additionally provide, fund, and
distribute information to local governments and regional
agencies regarding climate change adaptation strategies,
projects, or activities. (pending referral in the Assembly)
AB 1091 (Ruskin) of 2009 would have authorized the Natural
Resources Agency to develop and amend as necessary a
climate change adaptation strategy to assess the state's
vulnerability to impacts of climate change, including the
impacts of projected sea-level rise, on the state's
physical and natural infrastructure. The agency would be
permitted to develop or augment the strategy by region.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations)
SOURCE : Audubon California, Defenders of Wildlife, The
Nature Conservancy
SUPPORT : None on file
OPPOSITION : None on file