|
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has released a proposed final 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality (2022 Scoping Plan). The press release and the final proposal of the 2022 Scoping Plan are now available.
The 2022 Scoping Plan lays out a path to achieve targets for carbon neutrality and reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels no later than 2045, as directed by Assembly Bill (AB) 1279 (Muratsuchi, Chapter 337, Statutes of 2022). The actions and outcomes in the plan will achieve: significant reductions in fossil fuel combustion by deploying clean technologies and fuels, further reductions in short-lived climate pollutants, support for sustainable development, increased action on natural and working lands to reduce emissions and sequester carbon, and the capture and storage of carbon. The plan also highlights the all-of-government approach needed for success and the importance of local government actions to help realize the transition to a clean energy future. Importantly, the plan is informed by input from the AB 32 Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. Over five dozen of the Committee’s recommendations are referenced in the plan. The 2022 Scoping Plan is scheduled to be discussed and considered for approval at CARB’s December public Board hearing.
Background
The 2022 Scoping Plan has been developed through a public process to update the AB 32 Scoping Plan to reflect statewide goals to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce anthropogenic GHG emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels no later than 2045.
The 2022 Scoping Plan is the result of a nearly two-year development process, and incorporates input from state agencies, recommendations from the AB 32 Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, and extensive public and stakeholder outreach designed to ensure that California’s climate and air quality efforts continue to improve public health and drive development of a more sustainable economy. The 2022 Scoping Plan reflects direction from the Governor and the Legislature, as well as Board Member direction, which were discussed at an October 28, 2022 Modeling Workshop.
CARB prepared a Recirculated Draft Environmental Analysis (EA), which analyzed all project aspects of the Final 2022 Scoping Plan. The Recirculated Draft EA was posted and circulated for a 45-day comment period from September 9, 2022 through October 24, 2022. CARB will post the Final EA in advance of the Board meeting. See CARB’s 2022 Scoping Plan Documents website for related documents and more information.
Background on AB 32
In 2006, the Legislature passed the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 [Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32)], which created a comprehensive, multi-year program to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California. AB 32 required CARB to develop a Scoping Plan that describes the approach California will take to reduce GHGs to achieve the goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The Scoping Plan was first approved by the Board in 2008 and must be updated at least every five years. Since 2008, there have been two updates to the Scoping Plan. Each of the Scoping Plans have included a suite of policies centered around regulations, incentives, and carbon pricing to help the State achieve its GHG targets, in large part leveraging existing programs whose primary goal is to reduce harmful air pollution.
|
