The Electoral Showdown Over California's Climate Change Law

California's landmark climate change law, known as AB 32, is at risk of being overturned, as continuing economic woes translate into opposition to raising energy prices through a cap-and-trade system. Tightly-fought battles over a referendum on the November ballot, as well as the Governor's race, threaten to delay the implementation of AB 32 until employment figures are halved. Meanwhile, the gubernatorial frontrunner, Meg Whitman (R), has announced that, if elected, she would temporarily suspend the law. Considering California’s first-in-the-nation status on environmental issues, a suspension would be definitive evidence that the nation is turning against cap-and-trade-based attempts at addressing climate change. At the same time, support for clean energy remains high, but the reigning policy framework for fostering its development is proving unviable in difficult economic times. In this GR Brief, the upcoming elections in California will be looked at in detail, as well as the implications of AB 32’s potential suspension on the climate and energy debate in California and around the country.

AB 32 Under Fire

California has been traditionally known for its status as a pioneer in energy and environmental policies. Many current federal policies, from the Clean Air Act to vehicle emissions standards for greenhouse gases, are based on policies first adopted in California. The state’s most significant accomplishment in the last few years has been the Global Warming Solutions Act, otherwise known as AB 32. Signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) in 2006, AB 32 would require the state to reduce its carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

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