Emissions Chart

BEND THE TREND

As the chart below illustrates, in the fifteen years since the historic Kyoto agreements California has increased its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 20%. If current trends continue we will double that increase in the next 15 years. That record is what led California leaders to adopt the landmark California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which calls for reducing total GHG emissions back to 1990 levels by the year 2020 (the green downward slope in the chart.) We must bend the trend.

Total California GHG Emissions
(MMTCO2eq, including
electricity imports)

This chart was produced by our Research Director, Rich Ferguson, retired physics professor from Cal Poly known simply around here as Dr. F. You can find more of Dr. F's wisdom throughout this website and read copies of his weekly columns in the California Energy Circuit (subscription required) or for free here .

NEW Interactive Speadsheet

California Electric Energy
Resource Scenarios

Build your own energy scenarios using our simple spreadsheet. Enter your own assumptions about how much energy conservation and renewable energy generation will be on line by the year 2020 and see the effect it would have on total greenhouse gas emissions.

Monday, August 18, 2008

To Drill Or Not To Drill?

Should the U.S. allow offshore drilling? What is the future of the personal automobile? All week, the Cato Institute's Jerry Taylor debates election-year energy policy with Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies Executive Director V. John White.

You can post your comments online HERE

Friday, August 15, 2008

READ MARGOT ROOSEVELT'S LA TIMES GREENSPACE BLOG POST

PRESS RELEASE - Click Here

CLICK FOR REPORT

2020 Vision Power Point:
Build Only Renewables

Immediately after passage of AB32 Dr. Ferguson and others from our staff and affiliates worked to refine for decision makers a vision for California’s electricity sector which would meet the goals set for 2020. The result of this analysis has been incorporated in our 2020 Vision PowerPoint presentation, which graphically demonstrates the magnitude and potential sources of the reductions required to meet those important targets. Our analysis clearly shows that for the electricity generation sector the only way to meet the policy targets California has committed itself to is for maximum development of all of California's potential renewable generation resources.

Read more about our work on state climate policies here, or to learn more about global warming by visiting our energy choices section.