BILL ANALYSIS 1
1
SENATE ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
DEBRA BOWEN, CHAIRWOMAN
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|SB 1253 - Sher |Hearing Date:April 13, | S|
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|As Introduced: February 26, | | B|
|1999 | | |
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DESCRIPTION
This bill requires the California Energy Commission (CEC),
in consultation with the Air Resources Board (ARB), to
establish an inventory, provide information and prepare a
report relative to greenhouse gas emissions.
KEY QUESTIONS
1) Considering that a greenhouse gas emissions inventory
was established by the CEC in 1990, should this bill
require that the existing inventory be updated, rather
than that a new one is established?
2) What steps might California take to reduce its
contribution to global climate change, and to what
effect?
BACKGROUND
The primary component of greenhouse emissions is carbon
dioxide. Methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) are other significant contributors. Greenhouse
emissions come from both natural and human-caused sources.
Since the early 1980's, the leaders of the world's
industrialized countries, as well as leading members of the
scientific community, have become increasingly concerned
about the potential for human-generated greenhouse gas
emissions to alter the earth's atmosphere and climate.
Most scientists agree that human-generated gases, combined
with naturally occurring gases, can "thicken" the earth's
gaseous atmospheric blanket, producing a "greenhouse
effect." By holding warmth in, the effect interrupts the
flow of energy that drives the earth's climate system,
which increases global temperatures.
Existing law required the CEC, in consultation with ARB,
the University of California, the Department of Water
Resources, and the Department of Food and Agriculture, to
conduct a study on global warming effects on California's
energy supply and demand, economy, environment, agriculture
and water supplies, and to report its recommendations to
the Legislature and Governor by June 1, 1990. That study
was completed in 1990 and updated in 1998.
In December 1995, the United Nations Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change issued a report stating "the
balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence
on global climate."
Most recently, at the UN convention on climate change in
Kyoto, Japan in December 1997, industrialized nations
agreed to reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse
gases by 5.2% (with the U.S. agreeing to reduce emissions
by 7%) by 2012.
The "Kyoto Protocol" aims to lower overall emissions from a
group of six greenhouse gases by 2012. According to United
Nations documents, many industrialized countries have not
succeeded in meeting their earlier non-binding agreement to
reduce emissions and, as a result, emissions have actually
grown since 1990.
This bill would require the CEC to establish an inventory
of greenhouse gas emissions in California, in consultation
with ARB. The bill would also require the CEC to provide
information to state, regional and local agencies on cost
effective and technically feasible methods for reducing
those emissions. In addition, the bill would require the
CEC to convene an interagency task force consisting of
state agencies with jurisdiction over matters affecting
climate change to ensure that policies are coordinated at
the state level.
This bill is identical to SB 1941 (Sher), which was vetoed
in 1998. In his veto message, Governor Wilson concluded
that SB 1941 was unnecessary because the CEC had already
developed and updated an inventory of the sources of
greenhouse gas emissions within the state. In addition,
Governor Wilson found:
(T)he bill's requirement that the CEC provide
information to state, regional and local agencies
on cost-effective and technologically feasible
options to reduce the production of greenhouse
gases is infeasible. Because uncertainty exists
about the effects that reducing greenhouse gas
emissions in California would have on global
warming trends, there is no way to determine how
one particular measure implemented in California
would have a more positive or negative
consequence than any other measure.
COMMENTS
AB 4420 (Sher), Chapter 1506, Statutes of 1988, required
the CEC conduct a study on how global warming trends may
affect the state's energy supply and demand, economy,
environment, agriculture and water supply.
The study, along with an inventory of greenhouse gas
emissions, was completed in 1990. Both the study and the
inventory were updated under a contract with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1998. This bill
requires the CEC to establish another similar inventory and
to provide state and local agencies with information on
methods to reduce the production of greenhouse gases.
Since an inventory has already been completed pursuant to
AB 4420, it is unclear what new or different inventory
information would be revealed under this bill. The
Committee may wish to consider whether this bill should
require the CEC to periodically update its existing
inventory, rather than establish a new one.
POSITIONS
Support:
California Council of Environmental and Economic Balance
Planning and Conservation League
Sierra Club
Union of Concerned Scientists
Oppose:
None reported to Committee.
Lawrence Lingbloom
SB 1253 Analysis
Hearing Date: April 13, 1999