Keeping with California’s record as one of the most environmentally progressive states in the country, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) this week proposed sweeping new global warming regulations. If passed, these unprecedented measures will slash deeply into the state’s production of heat-trapping gases, and serve as a fantastic model for the rest of the nation, as the U.S. finally faces down the problems of its current carbon footprint.

 

The proposal, a thick read at 75 pages, details an impressive, comprehensive plan for dealing with California’s production of heat-trapping gasses. The first line of attack seems to be against non-renwable and dirty fuel sources: the report recommends increasing the percentage of the state’s energy that is drawn from clean energy to be increased to a full 33 percent by the year 2020.  

As Dan Kalb, a policy coordinator for the Berkeley office of the Union of Concerned Scientists notes, “California has a wealth of renewable electricity potential we aren't tapping into yet. Shifting to clean, safe sources of carbon-free electricity is a win for the environment, the economy and consumers.”

While I agree with this statement, the Air Resources Plan seems not to delineate any penalties for companies that do not comply with the 1/3 clean energy standard.  Because the current energy market still undervalues clean energy, while not fully forcing utility companies to bear the brunt of fossil fuel use, a system of monetary incentives to back this plan would be an immense help in ensuring utility companies’ compliance with it.

Comparing the clean energy standard to CARB’s stance on consumer vehicle purchases may better highlight my point. While non-fuel efficient vehicles penalize their owners at the gas pump, the net negatives brought upon society by their use go far further: global warming, smog, excessive demand for gasoline, and a greater percentage of the state GDP spent on a largely imported resource all negatively affect the entirety of California. And these negative impacts easily exceed the few extra dollars a month SUV drivers spend on gas.

To compensate for this, California has created a “feebate” system, which CARB aims to expand upon with this proposal. These “feebates” consist of one-time surcharges for gas-guzzlers, and one-time rebates for high fuel efficiency machines, which both help the state compensate for the damages caused by less fuel-efficient vehicles, and make purchasing cleaner vehicles more alluring to cash-strapped consumers. 

While brute force legislative mandates — such as the clean energy standard dictated by this latest proposal — have their place in creating a more sustainable United States, I feel that the most effective changes will come about by manipulating the market forces that have always driven our economy to accurately reflect the environmental impact of purchasing decisions.

Related articles:
Give the "Thumbs Up" to Tough Climate Legislation
New Air Quality Stickers for California Cars
Working With Global Warming Regulations
The Future of Controlling Climate Change

Photo by Kevin Collins