Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed into law a bill that sets a goal of 100 percent clean electricity for California by 2045.
The goal would require replacing carbon-producing fuels such as coal and gasoline with renewable energy such as wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric power.
The law, known as SB 100, also sets goals of 50 percent clean energy by 2025 and 60 percent by 2030.
Brown said in a statement as he signed the law in Sacramento, “California is committed to doing whatever is necessary to meet the existential threat of climate change.”
The goal “sends a clear signal to markets to expand clean energy generation,” Brown said.
The Sierra Club, noting that California has the world’s fifth largest economy, stated, “California is now the largest global economy to commit to 100 percent renewable energy.”
“California is showing the world that a transition to 100 percent clean energy is within reach and it will continue to drive the transition away from fossil fuels — and it is doing this while the federal government abandons clean energy,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune.
But another environmental group, Greenpeace, said the new law is a good first step, but called on Brown to stop issuing permits for new oil and natural gas wells.
“Continuing to drill and frack for oil and gas is not only counterproductive to efforts to meaningfully address climate change — it also poisons frontline communities, including the many people who work for the fossil fuel industry,” Greenpeace said in a statement.
How about as another good next step we eliminate the use of all gas powered gardening equipment? Gas powered leaf blowers are already illegal for residential use in Palo Alto (although NOT for commercial use, go figure) and other neighboring communities. We should eliminate the use of ALL gas powered single stroke engines throughout the state.
Posted by sequoiadean, a resident of Midtown
>> How about as another good next step we eliminate the use of all gas powered gardening equipment?
The recent generation of corded-electric and battery-powered devices work well (for me).
This step is nice, but what we really need is to put a fair price on carbon emissions. That would be a more faster, more effective and efficient way to accomplish the same thing.
Where are all the former Deniers? Those that said climate change was a hoax?
(hint: they’ve all become “what-about-ers”)
Thank you, Governor Brown! Let’s keep building a positive future for our kids and grand-kids!
Posted by DTN Paul, a resident of Downtown North, 1 hour ago
>> This step is nice, but what we really need is to put a fair price on carbon emissions. That would be a more faster, more effective and efficient way to accomplish the same thing.
Turns out that carbon pricing is not “simple”:
“Maybe one day carbon pricing will be the best tool for fighting climate change. But the planet doesn’t have time to wait. To the extent that the carbon-pricing experiment lets policymakers and the public delude themselves that they are meaningfully addressing global warming, it’s not just ineffectual; it’s counterproductive. The time has come to acknowledge that this elegant solution isn’t solving the problem it was designed to solve. In the toughest environmental fight the world has ever faced, a good idea that isn’t working isn’t good enough. “
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/planetpolicy/2018/06/18/the-carbon-price-chimera/
Photo of that electric vehicle graphic looks like a rodent.
@sequoiadean, what’s a “single stroke engine” ?
@anon: The only reason a carbon tax isn’t working is because its not in effect. But if it ever passed, it’d be way better than cap and trade or these regulatory “solutions”.