SAN FRANCISCO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called yesterday for a market-based approach to reducing industrial emissions of “greenhouse” gases, endorsing a plan to fight global warming that faces opposition from business.
Speaking at a climate change summit at San Francisco City Hall, Schwarzenegger said he supported creating financial incentives to curb the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and requiring companies to report their emissions.
“Let's work together to create the world's best market-based system to limit and slash emissions,” Schwarzenegger said. “Everyone must do his or her part to pitch in and to make sacrifices, to give our environment the type of strong and committed protection that all Californians demand.”
Schwarzenegger said he backed ideas in a report released last week by the administration's Climate Action Team, which listed ways to curb emissions from power plants, oil refineries and factories operating in California by 25 percent by 2020.
Schwarzenegger's appearance in San Francisco was the first of a weeklong series of events designed to highlight his stewardship of the environment, a salient issue among the Democratic and independent voters he needs to win back this year to get re-elected in November.
The governor pointed out his administration's work to protect marine ecosystems, boost energy efficiency, promote solar power, conserve forests and develop hydrogen fuel technology.
Schwarzenegger broke ranks with the Bush administration on global warming last June, when he announced a plan to drastically reduce California's emissions of greenhouse gases during the next 50 years.
After six months of hearings and testimony, the Climate Action Team last week released its report on ways to meet those goals. Its recommendations include boosting energy efficiency standards, funding a public education campaign and charging fees to help pay for emissions-reduction efforts.
One proposal is a “cap-and-trade” program that would restrict the amount of greenhouse gases companies are allowed to emit, then require companies that exceed those limits to buy credits from less-polluting firms.
Environmental groups praised Schwarzenegger, but industry groups said increased regulation could drive businesses – as well as greenhouse gas emissions – out of California, which already has some of the nation's highest electricity costs.
“We are at risk of losing some manufacturing, but the biggest risk is we won't get any expansion of current manufacturing,” said Dorothy Rothrock, vice president of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association. “You're not solving the problem. You're just moving the greenhouse gases to another location.”
