Clearing the Air with Industrial Audits

The document advocates for the public release of industrial audit data in California to maximize the public health benefits of the state's cap and trade system. It argues that transparency allows advocates and community members to pressure facilities to implement energy efficiency measures, which reduce both greenhouse gases and local air pollution. The author contends that the benefits of transparency, including the replication of best practices and increased public confidence, outweigh facility managers' concerns regarding competitive disadvantages.

• California's cap and trade system, starting in 2013, aims to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, specifically targeting 6% below 2009 levels and 12% below the 2007 peak.
• The California Air Resources Board requires large facilities to perform industrial audits to identify energy efficiency opportunities that reduce both greenhouse gas and local air pollution emissions.
• Energy efficiency is identified as one of the most effective strategies for public health because it simultaneously lowers greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution.
• Publicly available audit data enables advocates and community members to pressure facilities to implement cost-effective pollution reductions and energy efficiency improvements.
• Transparency at the national level, specifically through EPA data on facility-level greenhouse gas emissions, has previously pressured the largest emitters to improve their environmental performance.

APA

Staff, C. (2012). Clearing the Air with Industrial Audits. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/clearing-the-air-with-industrial-audits/

Chicago

Staff, CPI. Clearing the Air with Industrial Audits. Climate Policy Initiative, 2012. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/clearing-the-air-with-industrial-audits/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Staff |first1=CPI |title=Clearing the Air with Industrial Audits |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=18 October 2012 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/clearing-the-air-with-industrial-audits/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{staff2012clearing, author = {Staff, CPI}, title = {{Clearing the Air with Industrial Audits}}, publisher = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2012}, month = oct, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/clearing-the-air-with-industrial-audits/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }