California Air Resources Board Adopts Bold Climate Change Plan, Calls for Decade of Action

(Sacramento, CA – Dec 15, 2022) The California Air Resources Board voted to adopt a new Scoping Plan, a climate roadmap for exceeding its 2030 emissions target and achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2045.

“California leaders are raising climate ambition when it matters most: this decade.

“This new roadmap sets the stage for the state to exceed its 2030 climate goal and achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2045, strengthening its leadership role while promoting healthy, thriving communities.

“This plan is a starting point, and the next steps to turn it into real climate, health and economic benefits matter enormously. To deliver on the plan’s promises to Californians, leaders must swiftly adopt and strengthen climate policies through a number of different rulemakings in 2023. Time is of the essence.

“California’s declining cap on economy-wide emissions is an essential tool in turning that near-term ambition into reality, providing a backstop that ensures reductions in climate-warming pollution on time. We look forward to CARB following through on its commitment to set a more stringent cap on emissions and make necessary improvements to the program, including strategies that require polluters to cut air pollution in vulnerable communities.”

• Katelyn Roedner Sutter, California State Director, Environmental Defense Fund

Read more about the final Scoping Plan and next steps in this EDF blog.