Emissions reduction efforts to address the issue of climate change
focus on two primary greenhouse gases: CO2 and methane. CO2 is released
when fossil fuels - oil, coal and natural gas - are burned to power our
cars, produce electricity or heat our buildings. Methane is emitted in
urban areas when garbage and waste products decompose, primarily in
landfills. Local and state governments can play a key role because they directly
influence and control many of the activities that produce these
emissions. Decisions about land use and development, investments in
public transit, energy-efficient building codes, waste reduction and
recycling programs all affect local air quality and living standards as
well as the global climate.
An important
initiative has been spearheaded by the city of Seattle - the U.S.
Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. As of January 2009, Mayor's in 910
cities have signed this agreement and commited their communities to
meet the greenhouse gas reduction goals of the Kyoto Protocol (7
percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2012).
In 2009 a vigorous debate is taking place about the best way to reduce carbon emissions. There are two leading proposals: a carbon cap and emissions auction with revenue returned to Americans as a dividend, and a carbon tax with revenue returned to Americans in the form of lower taxes or a dividend. In the mid 1990s Minnesota debated a carbon tax and dividend bill designed by ILSR. Several studies were done about the impact on various sectors of such a policy.
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In April 2001, Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Board of
Commissioners adopted a joint Local Action Plan on Global Warming with
a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below 1990
levels by 2010.
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In 2006, California enacted a "Million Solar Roofs" law. The bill
reiterates and supplements the California Public Utilities Commission's
$2.9 billion California Solar Initiative. The new law extends the PUC
solar energy incentives initiative to publicly-owned utilities -
municipal and cooperatives. Including the publicly-owned utilities, the
PUC must limit the cost of the California Solar Initiative to $3.35
billion over the next 10 years.
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With aims to inspire renewable energy generation at the local level, in
October 2003, Merton became the first local authority in the United
Kingdom (UK) to adopt a policy requiring new non-residential
developments to generate a portion of their energy needs from on-site
renewables.
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This resolution is targeted specifically at those communities that have
signed on to the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. It will
require that construction projects in a community funded with municipal
bonds will result in no net increases in global warming pollutants
within the community. The resolution can be modified to suit the needs
of other communities and could be the basis for state legislation.
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In 2000, Aspen and Pitkin County in Colorado launched the Renewable
Energy Mitigation Program (REMP). The program charges new homeowners
one fee if their homes exceed 5,000 sq. ft. and another fee up to
$100,000 if they exceed the "energy budget" allotted to their property
by the local building code. As of Fall 2002, REMP has raised more than
$2 million for local energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
REMP's goal is to keep three tons of carbon out of the air for every
excess ton of carbon put into the air.
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The passage (60 percent in favor) of a city-wide referendum in November
2006, establishes a charge on electricity users based on how much
energy they use. The money will go to support Boulder's Climate Action
Plan to reduce global warming pollution. The passage marked the first
time in the nation that a municipal government will impose an energy
tax on its residents to directly combat climate change.
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In July 2001, Seattle Mayor Paul Schell and four members of the City
Council announced support for the Kyoto Protocol and called on other
local governments to adopt policies to combat global warming. The
Seattle City Council voted on resolutions supporting the goals of the
Kyoto Protocol and committing Seattle City Light -- the city's public
electric utility -- to a policy of zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
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Enacted in 1997, the Oregon law requires any new power plant to reduce
net carbon dioxide emissions 17 percent below the level of the best
existing combustion-turbine plant anywhere in the United States. The
standards are periodically updated as more efficient power plants are
built in other states.
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In May 2002, New Hampshire became the first state in the country to
adopt rules to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power
plants. The new law establishes a multiple pollutant reduction program.
In addition to CO2, the final version of the new law (HB284, NH Laws of
2002, Chapter 130) establishes caps on emissions of sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides by existing fossil fuel electric power plants and also
requires a reduction in mercury pollution. This law permits the banking
and trading of emissions reductions credits to achieve compliance with
the caps. The NH Department of Environmental Services is directed to
establish an integrated strategy to reduce emissions, including the use
of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The new law went into effect
July 1, 2002.
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Many proposals addressing climate change advocate for a cap on
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or carbon content of fuels. The
limiting and lowering of carbon or GHG emissions will create a new
market value for carbon. Many agree that there should be a 100 percent
auction of carbon permits, and estimates indicate that carbon allowance
auctions could raise $50-$200 billion annually at the national level.
However, there are many different opinions as to how this money should
be used. We believe that carbon cap with universal dividends on a per capita basis is the best solution and be the most politically acceptable solution. It will inspire substantial investment
in clean energy technologies while protecting tens of millions of
households from the impact from potentially steep increases in energy
prices resulting from the cap
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In January 2007, the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
adopted an interim Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Performance Standard
(EPS) in an effort to help mitigate climate change. The standard is a
facility-based emissions standard requiring that all new long-term
commitments for baseload generation to serve California consumers be
with power plants that have emissions no greater than a combined cycle
gas turbine plant.
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California
is the only state empowered under federal law to pass stronger air
pollution standards than those set by the federal government. Other
states can then choose California's standards, but cannot be the first
to surpass those set by the federal government. Thus, the passage of a
California law leading to regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from
cars eventually could spark changes in the design of automobiles sold
across the country. As of 2009, at least 16 other states had passed legislation adopting California's "clean cars" standard (pending waiver being granted by the EPA).
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