Mechanisms For Change - Policies and Regulations

To-Do Date: May 12 at 9:30am

Carbon pricing involves government action, but on this page we will look more generally at the role of the government in addressing climate change.  We will look across scales, including the local and state level, up to the federal government and even international agreements. 

International Agreements

There is a long history of international discussion of climate change, going back to the First World Climate Conference in 1979 in Geneva and the recognition by the United Nations in 1992 in Rio that climate change was a real and growing threat.    However, reaching agreements on a course of action has been a challenge.  This is why the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement was notable.  It marked the first widespread agreement that climate change is a threat, that it is manmade, and that countries need to act together to address it.  

What is the Paris Climate Agreement?

In 2015, world leaders representing 195 nations came to a consensus about combating climate change.  It included the following key points (and much more, this is just a snapshot):

        • calls for limiting the global average temperature rise to "well below 2 C" while pursuing efforts to limit rise to 1.5 C
        • asks countries to achieve leveling-off of emissions ASAP and become carbon neutral no later than 2050
        • the 186 countries responsible for 90% of emissions submitted carbon reduction targets
        • included mandatory measures for monitoring and verification of emission reductions achievements
        • asks developed nations to provide financial resources to help developing countries mitigate and increase resilience to climate change

Is the Paris Agreement Enough?

The commitments made by nations in the Paris Agreement are not sufficient to keep warming within 1.5 or 2 C.  Current commitments still allow approximately 3 C of warming. The expectation is that nations will ramp up their commitments over time.  So how are countries doing at meeting their commitments?  

        • European Union: 2030 target was 40% reduction from 1990 levels.  They are on track for a 48% reduction, due primarily due to a phase-out of coal.
        • China: Target was peak emissions by 2030. They are on track to achieve this and have announced plans to strengthen target in coming year. China is the world's largest installer of renewable energy, but it is also the largest consumer of coal.
        • India: India's target ties emissions to GDP.  It is on track to meet its target, by investing in solar energy.  While its target allows some increase in emissions, recall that India's emission per capita are very low.
        • Morocco: one of only 2 nations with plan to reduce emissions to level consistent with 1.5 C.  Meeting its targets.
        • Gambia: one of only 2 nations with plan to reduce emissions to level consistent with 1.5 C.  Meeting its targets.
        • Costa Rica:  target is to be 100% renewable by 2021.  On track to meet target.
        • The vast majority of nations, including the US prior to leaving: Not on track to meet their targets

Is the US a Member?

The United States, while an initial signatory of the Agreement,  pulled out effective on  11/4/2020 under President Trump.  We have rejoined the Paris Agreement as of February 2021.     There is great international hope that the rejoining of the Paris Agreement by the United States will help provide the necessary leadership to meet our own targets and press for more aggressive reductions by other nations.

US Officially Rejoins Paris Agreement on Climate Change Links to an external site. 

 

Federal Government

Some existing regulations allow the United States Federal Government to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases.  For example, the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to work with states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The government also sets automobile fuel efficiency standards that ramp up over time, resulting in more efficient cars that consume less fuel and produce fewer emissions.  These were weakened by the Trump Administration, but can be restored by President Biden.

The most notable federal plan relating to climate change was the Clean Power Plan, signed in 2015.  This required states to meet greenhouse gas emissions standards by increasing efficiency and increasing use of low-carbon energy sources.  Each state could figure out how to meet those targets.  The Trump Administration replaced this plan with a weaker version with very modest carbon dioxide emissions cuts.  The Clean Power Plan could have resulted in emissions cuts of 30-32% if enacted fully.  

While working with the Senate would allow more sweeping and effective climate action, there are many things that can be accomplished by President Biden alone.   Here is a partial list:

      1. rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement
      2. restore federal mileage standards
      3. restrict oil and gas drilling on public lands
      4. reject fossil fuel pipeline proposals
      5. limit methane emissions from oil and gas wells

 

What's the deal with the Green New Deal?

The Green New Deal was a resolution passed by the US House of Representatives in 2019. It was not a piece of legislation, but rather, a framework for how the US might make the necessary changes.  There are a LOT of misconceptions about the Green New Deal.  Because this resolution has really changed the conversation about federal action on climate change, and because it is so commonly misunderstood - take a few minutes to better understand what it is, what it is not, and why it contains things that many people don't see as linked to climate action - jobs guarantees, health care, etc..  

Watch the 7-minute video below.

Optional Green New Deal resources:  Below are a couple more videos about the Green New Deal:

Question 

State Government

Congratulations!  You live in a state that has been a leader on climate action for years! Our overall and per capita emissions have declined, even while GDP has increased, demonstrating that addressing the climate crisis does not have to be coupled to a decline in GDP. In addition to California's Cap & Trade program that you learned about on the previous page, we've also passed a slew of laws related to climate change.  Here are some examples:

    • Energy:
      • 60% renewable electricity by 2030
      • 100% carbon-free energy by 2045
    • Construction:
      • All new residential construction must be ZNE (zero net energy) by 2020
      • All new commercial construction must be ZNE by 2030
      • 50% of commercial buildings will be retrofit to ZNE by 2030
    • Transportation:
      • Executive order banning sale of internal combustion (gas-powered) cars by 2035 signed by Governor Newsom in 2020.

Is there more California can do?  Sure!  For example, we are still a major producer of oil and natural gas.  Governor Newsom has faced  growing public opposition to fossil fuel extraction in the state and demands to "keep it in the ground."  He signed an executive order to ban fracking, after much pressure from environmental activists  including SRJC and Sonoma county students (See Climate Action Night: SB 467) Links to an external site. 

Newsom orders ban on new oil fracking by 2024 Links to an external site.

 

Local Government

Your local government, such as the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and, if you live within a city, your City Council, influence climate policy at a local level.  Cities and counties can pass plans that affect emissions. 

For example, the City of Santa Rosa passed a ban on natural gas in new home construction.  By building new homes without natural gas infrastructure, it ensures these homes will operate on 100% electricity, and a growing proportion of electricity comes from renewables like wind and solar. It also reduces fire risk (natural gas is explosive), improves indoor air quality (burning natural gas is toxic). 

The County Board of Supervisors adopted a Climate Change Action Resolution to support a county-wide framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  While this resolution in and of itself does not reduce emissions, hopefully plans that come out of it will.  Numerous cities in Sonoma County have likewise passed climate emergency resolutions.  These include: Petaluma, Sebastopol, Windsor, Cloverdale, Healdsburg, and Sonoma.  

Our local governments have control over public transportation and how bikeable and walkable our cities are.  Remember that the majority of emissions in Sonoma County are from transportation, so increasing public transportation and redesigning cities to encourage biking and walking could greatly reduce our overall emissions.

 

Climate Action Night Take Action Links to an external site.