Bolstering California’s climate policies against new challenges

California has set a goal to reach a net-zero carbon economy by no later than 2045. Meeting this goal will require various policy levers and industry ambition and engagement from a diverse set of public stakeholders. For the transportation sector, the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard is one of the key levers to decarbonize the sector and drive the use of alternative fuels. However, it has largely failed to drive the uptake of ultralow-carbon and advanced fuels and has instead furthered the use crop-based biofuels. Further work is necessary to decarbonize California’s fuel pool and transition towards zero-emission vehicles.

This webinar highlighted upcoming changes to California’s economy-wide Scoping Plan and LCFS programs and assess the need for environmental safeguards to achieve deep, verifiable greenhouse gas emission reductions and a transition away from fossil petroleum. These lessons could be translated to the U.S., where federal policymakers have explored the concept of a national LCFS and updates to other fuel policies such as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Presenters discussed the challenges California faces in delivering on its long-term climate goals and the importance of getting the policies right to ensure that technology transitions are lasting and equitable.

Presenters:

• Jane O’Malley: Fuels Researcher, ICCT
• Jeremy Martin: Senior Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists
• Connie Cho: Attorney, Communities for a Better Environment
• Jonathan Lewis: Director of Transportation Decarbonization, Clean Air Task Force