BILL ANALYSIS
SJR 17
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SJR 17 (Leno and Pavley)
As Introduced July 23, 2009
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :23-13
NATURAL RESOURCES 6-3
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|Ayes:|Chesbro, Brownley, De | | |
| |Leon, Hill, Huffman, | | |
| |Skinner | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Gilmore, Knight, Logue | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Resolves that the California Legislature remain
committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990
levels by 2020, and urges federal entities including the United
States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the
President, and Congress to become leaders in addressing global
climate change, ocean acidification, and the reduction of global
carbon dioxide concentration.
EXISTING LAW requires the Air Resources Board (ARB), pursuant to
AB 32 (Nunez) of 2006 to 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.
ARB is responsible for adoption regulations to achieve this
limit, and sources of GHGs are required to monitor and report
their emissions to ARB. ARB must adopt practices and
regulations in order to meet these environmental goals, and must
evaluate the potential impacts of these activities on the
economy, environmental and public health, and on California's
natural resources.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : CO2 production contributes to climate change, which
has significant potential impacts on California's climate,
environment, and economy. According to the Nature Publishing
SJR 17
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Group, much of the CO2 released into the atmosphere will be
absorbed into the oceans, which increases the acidity of the
ocean water. The Marine Pollution Bulletin and Current Science
reported that the consequences of this acidification include the
physical characteristics of calcium carbonate skeletons of some
marine animals including corals, certain planktons, and various
shelled organisms. The Nature Publishing Group also reported
that current models predict that without GHG abatement, CO2
emissions could lead to higher ocean acidity than at any time
over the past 300 million years. The organisms affected
represent a considerable portion of the marine food chain, and
significant changes in their populations will have subsequent
effects on other organisms in the oceans including, but not
limited to, algae, fish, whales, and birds.
Global warming effects are twice as powerful in the Arctic
compared to other areas on earth. Historically, the Arctic
climate fluctuates depending on atmospheric conditions.
However, new Arctic climate change observations that are the
result of global warming include changes in snow and ice
conditions, shifts in season timing, wind speed, plant growth
patterns, and in animal diversity and behavior. An example of
this phenomenon was published in Science magazine in 2006.
Warming climate conditions will also cause a thinning of Arctic
ice layers over time, contributing to the rise in sea level
already observed at a global level. The loss of Arctic ice also
compounds the global warming effect by the release of methane
GHGs from the melting ice, and by reducing the white ice surface
area which would otherwise reflect the sun's radiation to
maintain cooler temperatures. According to a Cambridge
University research group published in Science magazine,
satellite observations of the Arctic taken since the 1970s
estimate that sea level rise will be at least 0.5 meters over
the next century without GHG emission abatement.
Changes in climate, weather patterns, and in ocean organism
populations could have severe impacts on California's economy.
California is a coastal state and local industries such as
fishing and tourism could be adversely affected by changes in
ocean temperatures, marine life, and weather patterns.
Agriculture is California's largest industry and is reliant on
water resources and weather patterns and is likely to be
affected as well as detrimental ocean changes result in global
weather changes. In addition to economic impacts, sea level
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rise from Arctic ice loss could affect as much as $100 billion
in sea-level property along the California coast according to a
recent California EPA Climate Action Team report. Many of
California's major international airports are also found at sea
level and would also experience adverse effects of sea level
rise. Sea level rise is also predicted to put considerable
strain on the state's clean water supply, which affects public
health as well as agriculture.
The U.S. plays a significant role in the emission of GHG on a
global scale, its emissions seconds only to China in tons of CO2
or equivalent emission and is therefore in a position to make a
major impact on global GHG reduction. The U.S. is also an
Arctic nation and detrimental environmental affects that occur
in artic would have direct effects on the people and animal
populations living there.
Analysis Prepared by : Jessica Westbrook / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
FN: 0003873