Trump administration moves on two fronts to challenge California environmental protections

[Source: Los Angeles Times] The Trump administration openly threatened one of the cornerstones of California’s environmental protections Monday, saying that it may revoke the state’s ability under the Clean Air Act to impose stricter standards than the federal government sets for vehicle emissions. The announcement came as the administration confirmed it is tearing up landmark Read More…

Is Trump’s EPA chief bluffing? Or will he gut California’s tough emissions standards?

[Source: Sacramento Bee] California officials and clean air advocates are increasingly concerned the Trump administration may attempt to unravel a key program to drive down greenhouse gas emissions from automobile fleets while also jeopardizing the ability of California and other states to set pollution standards stronger than federal rules. Backed by automakers, Trump officials are Read More…

California Air Resources Board approves plan to meet California’s bold climate and air quality goals

[Source: California Air Resources Board] 2017 Scoping Plan details how state will slash climate-changing gases. Building on the state’s success in decarbonizing its economy, the California Air Resources Board today approved a bold plan to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decade while improving air quality and public health, investing in Read More…

Why greenhouse gases are increasing — again

[Source: The Mercury News] After three years of barely budging, fossil fuel emissions are once again climbing, according to new Stanford-led analyses. Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from human activities were nearly flat between 2014 and 2106, despite growth in the global economy, reports the Global Carbon Project, an international team chaired by Read More…

Allowing polluters to offset carbon emissions by paying forest owners effectively reduces greenhouse gases

[Source: Stanford News] A pioneering California program to sell carbon offsets has surprising environmental benefits – including providing habitat for endangered species – and provides lessons for initiatives under development in other states and countries. You can’t grow money on trees, but you can earn money for letting trees grow. Or at least you can Read More…