California Leads the Way on Climate Change

When the American do-nothing Congress has failed miserably to do something significant about climate change Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) administration [photo] has accomplished noteworthy and noble goals: reduce greenhouse gas emissions further and divest California's public pensions from coal. The world's fifth largest economy already has one of the highest renewable energy portfolio standards in the country. Last week the California Senate passed twelve bills that plan to reduce gasoline use on California roads by 50% and source 50% of its electric energy from renewable sources. The legislation also directs cap and trade revenues to public transportation infrastructure, and extend the CO₂ emissions target to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. One of the bills prohibits new oil and gas wells in California coastal waters. An aging pipeline burst at Refugio Bay has fouled the coast near Santa Barbara again endangering marine creatures.

The legislation builds on climate initiatives by the Democratic governor who signed an eleven party agreement with city leaders from around the world to help keep global temperature increase under the two degree threshold. California has been hit hard by climate change that is intensifying wildfires and costing the state's lucrative agriculture business. The state's historic drought is linked specifically to climate change in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. The persistent high pressure ridge from Hell that causes low precipitation is much more likely to occur now than prior to the Industrial Revolution according to the research by Stanford scientists.

The legislation must pass the lower Assembly before being sent to the governor's desk for his signature. Democrats have a large majority there. The solar industry in California employs 55,000 people, and last year $11.5bn was spent on solar energy in the state. US Person thinks Gov. Brown is a long way from "Gov. Moonbeam" nowadays, and proves there is no pay being ahead of your times.