California is a global leader in the clean energy transition, with some of the world’s most ambitious decarbonization policies. But even the Golden State, which met its 2020 greenhouse gas emission reduction target four years early, should be doing more.Results from the newly released California Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) find the state’s existing climate policy strategy risks falling short of California’s 2030 target of 40% emissions reductions below 1990 levels. Findings suggest 2030 emissions will exceed the target by about 25 million metric tons – roughly 10 percent – even using optimistic assumptions about policy effectiveness.
Six policies to get on track for the 2030 target:
- Fortify the cap-and-trade program.
- Modestly boost clean electricity goals.
- Accelerate transportation sector decarbonization.
- Jump start building electrification transformation.
- Establish a zero emission performance standard for heat in the industry sector.
- Introduce a GHG emission performance standard for concrete production.
