Overview
Much has changed since Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 32, The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. Six years since its passage, the bill has spurred a regulatory program that is more far-reaching than any other and which affects all businesses and consumers in the state. California continues to be watched by other states and nations as the process for reducing the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions moves forward. Climate Change 
Goals
- Monitor implementation of AB 32 climate change legislation and its impact on California businesses, including Air Resources Board (ARB) activities;
- Risk management and corporate strategies to help lessen the financial burden of climate change mitigation efforts;
- National/global efforts that could help California businesses grow and promote their technologies/services elsewhere.
Major Victories
- Stopped a climate change tax increase that would have increased costs and discouraged job growth by implementing unlimited fees and taxes under a cap-and-trade system. (SB 237)
- Stopped a climate change tax increase that would have increased costs and discouraged job growth by granting the Air Resources Board broad authority to implement unlimited fees and taxes with little or no oversight (AB 231, AB 1405, SB 31 in 2009 and AB 1405 in 2010).
- Blocked increases in business costs and threats to state jobs and businesses by stopping a bill that would have severely limited the amount of offsets California industries can use to meet their greenhouse gas emission goals (AB 1404 in 2009).
Position
The California Chamber of Commerce will continue working to ensure that compliance costs are minimized through measures that effectively reduce carbon while allowing for continued economic growth. Regulations must be seen through the lens of the economy and must minimize costs and maximize benefits for California. In order to ensure GHG reductions are achieved while maintaining the competitiveness of California businesses and the health of the economy, it is critical that the state agencies promulgating climate change policies (that is, ARB, Public Utilities Commission) conduct periodic reviews of all GHG programs to ensure that as all measures are implemented, GHG reductions are met in a manner that is both economically efficient and environmentally sound.
The CalChamber believes that for the state to be a true leader on this issue, it needs to share its proven energy efficiency knowledge while harnessing the innovation and creativity of its citizens to pioneer new, low-carbon technologies. In fact, policy approaches that recognize and encourage California’s leadership and innovation in the environmental arena can be more effective than taxes or fees. Successful technologies developed in California and implemented throughout the world could provide a win-win situation for California businesses by both helping to reduce GHG emissions here and in other nations, and providing jobs in the state.
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