A Summary of California’s climate policies
The office of the Legislative Analyst Office is required to report annually the impacts and the benefits of California’s enacted greenhouse gas emission goals. This has to cover the changes in emission between 1990 levels to 2020 and also 1990 levels to 2030. In the report, they discussed the effects assessments, the significant policies set in the transport sector to meet the goals of zero-emission, and also substantial issues regarding the legislature in terms of policymaking and budget decisions.
The state has many policies that reduce emissions through transportation, which is the largest source of the state’s emission. Light-duty cars have the most massive emission record. It is also noted that emissions had declined between 2006 to 2016 but increased in the last four years. Some of the significant policies that the state has put in place are reducing emissions from light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles, raising the use of low carbon fuels, and reducing the mileage of the cars.
There are also challenges that accompany the policies. They include the lack of clarity of the overall economic impacts and benefits. Again, some systems require colossal funding from the state and the fact that some policies are costly but valuable in some instances. The effect on other jurisdictions also remains unsolved. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Various programs designed to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the transport sector
In light-duty vehicle programs, the state has some programs intended to reduce the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Some set policies are; clean vehicle rebate project it advocates for buying or leasing a new zero-emission vehicle (ZEV). It also puts forward the clean car for all forum where one retires an old high emission vehicle and replace it with a new one. Single occupant vehicle decals programs that state that ZEV drivers be allowed to use high occupancy lane even when a single individual. Manufacturers to design and increase the number of ZEVs sold in the state. Lastly, the public ZEV infrastructure funding to aid the installation of public electric vehicle recharging and refueling stations for hydrogen.
Some of the different low and zero-emission vehicles are the battery charging an electric vehicle, which relies on a battery for all functions, fuel cell vehicles, which uses electrochemical reaction. Neighborhood electric vehicle that is low speed and rechargeable. Hybrid electric vehicle, plugin electric vehicles, internal hydrogen combustion engine, and extended-range electric vehicle.
Some programs designed in the heavy-duty vehicle include demonstrations and pilot where technological and equipment grants are not yet available commercially. Early commercial deployment programs where incentives for any technologies above the pilot stage and commercials are becoming available. Vehicle replacement incentive has also been put in place to reduce local pollutions and the ZEV fueling infrastructure funding programs for the heavy-duty charging and refueling stations.
Low carbon fuels regulation that advocates for the need in reduction of carbon intensity on transportation fuels and to reduce the mileage of the light-duty vehicles traveled.
Challenges faced with policies in transportation emissions
These policies of state can overlap and interact in complex ways. The programs tend to increase cost, which is currently at 10 million dollars annually and relatively small comparing to the intensity of the economic effects.
Lack of potential coordination. The presence of multiple programs makes coordination difficult, for instance, the administration of different incentives programs in heavy-duty vehicles and infrastructure in different states. California again contributes small emission in the Globe, and due to this, the other jurisdictions should also have their own ways of controlling emissions. California itself cannot control the different parts itself, and this still remains a threat to its policies.
The significant findings on the policies include; there is a lack of clarity in the overall effects of the policies, the presence of a large number of different systems creates different challenges. Again, the plans remain more costly, but at times there could be some circumstances when they could play a complementary to other significant non-greenhouse gas benefits.