CAP AND TRADE, AND MUCH MORE, IS STILL ON-TRACK IN CALIFORNIA

The document details California's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 under the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32). It outlines a cap-and-trade program scheduled for January 2012, alongside 'early action' measures such as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and landfill methane capture. The briefing also highlights California's leadership in the Western Climate Initiative and the political support for these measures following the defeat of Proposition 23 in November 2010.

• California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32) aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, targeting a limit of 427 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
• The California cap-and-trade program, set to begin in January 2012, will initially cover major industrial sources and utilities, eventually encompassing about 360 firms with 600 facilities responsible for 80% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions. The emissions cap will decrease by 2% annually from 2012-2014 and by 3% annually from 2015-2020.
• The cap-and-trade system includes specific mechanisms such as quarterly auctions, the banking of allowances, and an Allowance Price Containment Reserve with initial 2012 tranches at $40, $45, and $50 per tonne. Additionally, offsets from agriculture and forestry projects, including those in Mexico and Brazil, are permitted for up to 8% of a firm's emissions.
• California has implemented several 'early action' programs starting in 2010, including a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) targeting a 10% reduction in transportation fuel carbon intensity by 2020, regulations for landfill methane capture, and restrictions on high global warming potential consumer products and mobile air conditioning HFC emissions.
• As a leader of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), California collaborated with six other U.S. states and four Canadian provinces to create an international cap-and-trade program targeting emission reductions of 15% below 2005 levels by 2020.
• The political viability of California's climate programs was affirmed in November 2010 when voters defeated Proposition 23 by 61% to 39%, a measure that would have suspended AB32 until unemployment fell below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters.

APA

Brewer, T. (2011). CAP AND TRADE, AND MUCH MORE, IS STILL ON-TRACK IN CALIFORNIA. Climate Strategies. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cap-and-trade-tombrewer.pdf

Chicago

Brewer, Tom. CAP AND TRADE, AND MUCH MORE, IS STILL ON-TRACK IN CALIFORNIA. Climate Strategies, 2011. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cap-and-trade-tombrewer.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Brewer |first1=Tom |title=CAP AND TRADE, AND MUCH MORE, IS STILL ON-TRACK IN CALIFORNIA |publisher=Climate Strategies |date=2011 |url=https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cap-and-trade-tombrewer.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{brewer2011cap, author = {Brewer, Tom}, title = {{CAP AND TRADE, AND MUCH MORE, IS STILL ON-TRACK IN CALIFORNIA}}, institution = {Climate Strategies}, year = {2011}, url = {https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/cap-and-trade-tombrewer.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }