California's New Climate Era: SB 350 And Beyond

Two out of three ain't bad.

Climate change policy advocates may find themselves quoting Meat Loaf with the enactment of Senate Bill (SB) 350, which California's Legislature passed last month and which Governor Jerry Brown signed into law on October 7. SB 350, also called the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015, requires an increase in California's Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) to 50 percent and a doubling of building energy efficiency, both by 2030. The Legislature dropped from the bill a third component, which would have mandated the powerful California to Air Resources Board (CARB) to cut petroleum use from transportation in half by 2030, after months of intense opposition from the oil industry.