Gov. Brown Speeds Up California's Climate Change Response With New Executive Order
SACRAMENTO (KCBS)— Governor Jerry Brown wants California to slash its carbon footprint even more quickly than is already called for in the continent's most ambitious climate change law.
Determined to take the national lead, Brown issued an executive order Wednesday to speed up the state's reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The lengthy executive order requires the state to cut its carbon emissions to 40 percent below what they were in 1990, when the state had far fewer people and cars, within 15 years. He spoke about the plan at two climate change meetings in Los Angeles.
"I've set a very high bar, but it's a bar we must meet," and for good reason, Brown says. "There is something called global warming. We're four-degrees warmer than we were historically. Our forest fire season is months longer. It's almost year round."
Under existing law, California must get its emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050, so Governor Brown is ordering the state to get halfway there by 2030.
It's the most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction target in North America and one Brown hopes to achieve in part through the use of more renewable energy and more electric cars.