California Publishes Climate Change Proposed Scoping Plan

California, the U.S.'s most populous state and one of the world's ten largest economies, has historically exerted significant influence on the design of standards in the U.S. and beyond. The world's fifteenth largest greenhouse gas ("GHG") emitter, it is responsible for two percent of global GHG emissions.¹ With Assembly Bill 32 ("AB 32"), the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, California has shown leadership in legislating GHG emissions reductions. California's efforts will have ramifications for a number of Canadian provinces, especially through their common membership in the Western Climate Initiative ("the WCI"). ²

The lead agency for the implementation of AB 32 is the California Air Resources Board ("CARB"). In June, CARB management released a draft scoping plan to accomplish the goals set in AB 32.³ On 15 October 2008, the California Air Resources Board ("CARB") released its Climate Change Proposed Scoping Plan (the "Scoping Plan").