Negotiators gathered at COP21 in December, 2015. Image courtesy of the UNFCCC, via Flickr.
While the international Paris agreement marked a leap in our global community’s efforts to tackle climate change, a lot of work still needs to be done. We know that, on their own, the Paris agreement and countries’ intended nationally determined contributions won’t not be enough to limit global warming to below 2 degrees. This means that what goes on at the subnational level is increasingly important. And these subnational governments, ranging from cities to provinces and regions, are increasingly looking to get a stake in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Action from subnational government can complement the outcomes of Paris, and ramp up climate change action and ambition. In fact, according to the United Nations Development Program, 50 to 80 percent of the mitigation and adaptation efforts necessary to tackle climate change will be implemented at the subnational or local levels.
Subnational governments are uniquely suited to address climate change for several reasons. For one, many of the policies that have the most direct impact on climate change—like air quality, transportation, and energy efficiency—take place at the local or subnational levels, and have direct implications for greenhouse gas emissions levels. Subnational government can also act as policy “guinea pigs,” testing novel policies that may later be adopted at the national or perhaps even international levels. These governments are also in a unique position in that they can work as a link in the vertical integration of climate policies between local and national governments.
California’s government is a subnational climate leader. Image from CA Employment Office (http://ca-unemployment-office.com/)
California’s government is among the subnational governments taking ambitious climate action, setting some of the most aggressive policies in the United States. In 2006, California passed AB32, also known as the California Global Warming Solutions Act. This bill commits California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. That’s a reduction of about 15 percent below the state’s “business as usual” scenario.
The bill also established policies to achieve these emissions reductions—among them, a cap-and-trade program. This cap-and-trade program was linked with Quebec’s cap-and-trade program counterpart in 2014, and was expanded to include fuels in 2015. Based on the amount of emissions covered, California’s cap and trade is second in size only to the European Union’s Emissions Trading system.
And just last year, Governor Brown announced another emission reduction target that takes the previous target a step further. The new targets set a goal of slashing emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels. This goal was complemented by a series of other goals, including increasing from one-third to 50 percent of the State’s electricity from renewable sources. This sunny state is also planning on reducing current petroleum use in cars and trucks by up to 50 percent, and doubling the efficiency of existing buildings.
California plans on sourcing 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources. Photo from the California Energy Commission (http://www.energy.ca.gov/tour/alta/)
California’s also taken its efforts internationally. The Golden State has implemented bilateral and multilateral initiatives with Mexico, Ontario, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, and China. And through its Pacific Coast Collaborative, California is working with its neighbors in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia to advance carbon pricing, zero-emission vehicles, building energy efficiency, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
While an individual state alone can’t tackle climate change, collective subnational climate action is increasingly important to meet our climate change goals. We need ambitious climate action from subnational governments, like California’s, to complement and augment the Paris agreement.
References
- Barnes, Aimee. “Subnational Climate Leadership: California’s Efforts on …” The Stanley Foundation. N.p., 27 May 2015. Web. 8 Nov. 2016.
- California Air Resources Board. “Assembly Bill 32 Overview.” Assembly Bill 32. N.p., 5 Aug. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.
- Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. “California Cap and Trade.” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. N.p., Jan. 2014. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.
- State of California. “California Climate Strategy.” California Government. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.
- “National and Subnational Strategies.” United Nations Development Programme. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2016.
