California would become the first US state to impose a limit on all greenhouse gas emissions, including those from industrial plants, under a landmark deal reached by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrats.
The accord, concluded on Wednesday, will give the state the toughest greenhouse laws in the nation and possibly spur a reluctant Washington to take similar action.
Schwarzenegger, who has accused fellow Republican President George W. Bush of failing to demonstrate leadership on climate change, said he reached a "historic agreement" with Democrats to make California a world leader in reducing carbon emissions.
PHOTO: AFP
"The success of our system will be an example for other states and nations to follow as the fight against climate change continues," Schwarzenegger said in a statement after weeks of often difficult negotiations.
The bill now seems certain to win approval this week in a vote in the state Senate and Assembly, where Democrats hold majorities.
Despite opposition from within his own party, Schwarzenegger was expected to support the bill since he has made much of his environmental record in his re-election bid.
Green policies are popular among voters in environmentally conscious California, the world's eighth-largest economy and 12th largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions.
California's Global Warming Solutions Act aims to cut emissions to 1990 levels, or around 25 percent, by 2020 with an enforceable cap and mandatory reporting for top polluters like oil and energy companies.
The US is the world's largest producer of the heat-trapping gases that many scientists link to extreme weather like violent hurricanes and rising sea levels.
But Bush pulled the US out of the 160-nation Kyoto Protocol to cut greenhouse gas emissions in 2001, arguing that it would hurt the economy and unfairly excluded developing nations like China.
California's breakthrough on global warming could have a "huge" impact on policy in Washington, said Fred Krupp, president of environmental advocacy group Environmental Defense. "This adds tremendous momentum to the already growing momentum and makes it more likely than ever that Washington will act."
He said companies are ahead of politicians on global warming and have expressed a preference for a national framework on cutting emissions rather than "a patchwork quilt of state regulations."
Worried about the impact on business, Schwarzenegger pushed for a market-based system that will eventually give companies tools to meet emissions targets, like carbon credit trading.
"We created a clear path to allow California to enter into that market-based system and we're very proud we were able to reach that agreement with the governor," said bill author and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a Los Angeles Democrat.
But there was still considerable opposition in industrial and energy circles.
"It is unfortunate such important legislation is being put together at the last minute without proper review and scrutiny, especially because of its great potential to harm the economy," said Tupper Hull, a spokesman for the Allied Western States Petroleum Association.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
NO EXCUSES: Marcos said his administration was acting on voters’ demands, but an academic said the move was emotionally motivated after a poor midterm showing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday sought the resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, in a move seen as an attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term. The order came after the president’s allies failed to win a majority of Senate seats contested in the 12 polls on Monday last week, leaving Marcos facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028. “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s
A documentary whose main subject, 25-year-old photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza weeks before it premiered at Cannes stunned viewers into silence at the festival on Thursday. As the cinema lights came back on, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi held up an image of the young Palestinian woman killed with younger siblings on April 16, and encouraged the audience to stand up and clap to pay tribute. “To kill a child, to kill a photographer is unacceptable,” Farsi said. “There are still children to save. It must be done fast,” the exiled Iranian filmmaker added. With Israel
RSS