California to slash Carbon Emmissions

California has released its plans to cut carbon emissions to the level it was in 1990, which was about 30 per cent below current conditions.

The system features a carbon capping scheme, where companies will have to cap emissions, or buy credits from greener competitors, which will allow them to exceed limits.

The emissions development in California is of great significance, as its the boldest step any US state or city has taken in the quest to reduce carbon emissions.

The proposal contains information on renewable energy resources targets, including the increase of electricity originating from renewable energy resources, to be increased from its current level of 20% to 33%, but remaining sustainable.

And while the above might be seen as a great step forward, detailed economic analysis has not yet been completed, to conclude whether the structure for sustainability for the increased used of renewable energy is available, not to mention the cost and time implications to corporate enterprises.

The problem is that carbon emissions aren’t tomorrow’s problem, they are yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s, and if the government doesn’t push the cost implications of reducing carbon emmissions to the corporate sector, the next obvious target would be the public, who would pick up the extra cost of reducing emissions via tax.