An Update on California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) from our resident poet, Erin Craig.
Though it hasn’t been fast and people still have their doubts, though lawsuits and protests may yet go a few bouts,
The Air Resources Board is pushing forward (steadfast) to limit the State’s industrial emissions of gas.
The “cap and trade system” is all that is new Greenhouse gas regulation has been around for a few. From landfills to ports, to electricity sources. Controls are here now – but not market forces.
So we here at Terrapass are watching and waiting; there are still a few hurdles before emissions are trading. 400 plus emitters need electronic accounts to receive free allowances in proper amounts. But many are missing, not signed up at all The state’s sending emails: Get on board, last call!
Still, when they do, they won’t have quite enough. Most companies need more to keep doing their stuff. On 14th November quarterly auctions commence. Allowances for sale, in dollars and cents. Offsetting emissions is also allowed. Reducing carbon emissions from refrigerators and cows. Either way, emitting will now come at a price If it’s high enough we expect it will soon enough entice. Emitters to reduce their permit acquisition obligation. Through efficiency and technology implementation. While easy to say, this is much harder to do. Any fuel burned emits and we demand it. We do. With our cars and our lights, cement and computers. We’re all the emitters – we are, each, a polluter
Though this system isn’t perfect, is perfection the goal? With protests continuing, I have to say, on the whole, I’d rather move forward with best efforts and flaws. Than await something different, some new set of laws
So we’d like to remind that pathbreaking is hard. For regulated emitters and for us, to play our part. Even though these waters are more or less uncharted. It’s high time we disembarked.
Let’s get started.
