California Clean Energy AB 32 is California’s landmark law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move us away from dirty fossil fuels toward a clean energy future.
According to a new study by the Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment at the University of California Berkley Law school, passing Prop. 23, and thus halting the implement of AB32 in its tracks, would be a step that leads to direct job losses.
Passage of Proposition 23 would result in direct job losses by undermining the 33 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard, which depends on AB 32 authority. A recent study by the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at UC Berkeley shows that suspending the 33 percent RPS would result in a direct loss of jobs, even if the 20 percent RPS remains in effect.
The researchers also refuted the notion that AB32 is causing unemployment in California. “No connection exists between California’s current unemployment rate and AB 32,” said professor Daniel Kammen, one of the report’s co-authors. “In fact, the clean tech, solar and wind sector in California is one of the few areas of sustained growth during the current recession.” Read More
In the central valley, one in six children go to school with an inhaler. In Southern California, air pollution kills more people than car crashes. Nationwide 100,000 people die every year because of pollution-related illnesses. These are human tragedies that laws like AB 32 aim to prevent.
Sacramento, California – Governor Schwarzenegger discusses importance of AB 32 in Weekly Radio Address. Imperial Valley News. This week I traveled up and down the state of California to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of Assembly Bill 32.
This is, of course, California’s landmark law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move us away from dirty fossil fuels toward a clean energy future. I want to talk to you about why our clean-energy laws are so important.
Number one, to improve the health of Californians. Today one in six Central Valley children go to school with an inhaler.
In Southern California, air pollution kills more people than car crashes.
Nationwide 100,000 people die every year because of pollution-related illnesses.
These are human tragedies that laws like AB 32 aim to prevent.
Number two, to keep California’s growing green economy and the creation of new solar and wind energy jobs in high gear.
Clean energy, in fact, is one of the few industries creating jobs right now.
Since 2005, green-tech jobs have grown ten times faster than our statewide average. Today, people that iowa seo search engine optimization for green jobs can find them.
California leads the nation in the number of clean energy companies with more than 12,000.
In just the last few months, California has approved 3,000 megawatts of new commercial solar power, which will create thousands and thousands of solar installers, clean technology and engineering jobs.
To put that in perspective, last year throughout our entire country only 67 megawatts of solar was added.
In California, we have just created 3,000 more.
We attract more clean-tech venture capital than the rest of the nation combined.
California is leading the clean-energy revolution and it is precisely because of laws like AB 32.
And as the San Jose Mercury News pointed out, without these laws all this clean-energy solar investment would come to a grinding halt.
The third reason our environmental laws are so important is they fight climate change.
We are already seeing the effects in Ca, a less reliable water supply, more frequent wildfires, increased coastal and inland flooding and sea level rise.
These threats are real and we cannot sit idly by and just watch them unfold.
We have to do something about it.
The fourth reason is national security.
Now you say, “national security?”
Yes, national security.
Today America sends $1 billion a day overseas for imported oil to countries and dictators that hate us.
I think we have had enough wars in the Middle East.
That is why George Shultz, Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state, is against anyone modifying, suspending or eliminating those environmental laws.
He believes energy independence is directly related to national security.
I am proud that Californians from Secretary Shultz, who is 90 years old, to young entrepreneurs and investors in the Silicon Valley are firmly behind our environmental laws.
And as long as I am Governor, and even after my Administration ends, I will continue defending and promoting those laws which are so important for our state and our future.
We have got to keep California the leader when it comes to the environment.
And of course, we are the leader on so many other things.
So let’s continue working on this. Solar, wind and all forms of renewable energy make a difference today and in the future.