Greenhouse Gases

Overview

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Thumbnail Image

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases.  The effect of each gas on climate change depends on how much of the gas is in the atmosphere, how long the gas stays in the atmosphere, and how strongly the gas impacts global temperature. Read more about Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the EPA website.

Legal Requirements on GHG Emission Reduction

  • The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) passed by California Legislature and signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2006, set the 2020 statewide limit of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for California. AB 32 directed the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to prepare and adopt a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in GHG emissions from sources or categories of sources of GHG by 2020. ARB is also required to adopt a cap-and-trade program that establishes a system of market-based declining annual aggregate emission limits for sources or categories of sources that emit GHG emissions, applicable from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2020. Read more

  • To enhance California’s ability to reach the AB 32 goals, Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375) was enacted to reduce GHG emissions from automobiles and light trucks through integrated transportation, land use, housing and environmental planning. Under the law, SCAG is tasked with developing a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), a newly required element of the 2012 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) that provides a plan for meeting emissions reduction targets set forth by the California Air Resources Board (ARB). On September 23, 2010, ARB issued a regional 8% per capita reduction target for the planning year 2020, and a conditional target of 13% for 2035. Read more

Inventories of GHG Emissions and Sinks

Overview

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

Cap-and-Trade Flyer

On June 20th, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the FY 2014-15 California State Budget which includes an expenditure plan for cap-and-trade revenues. The expenditure plan has allocated $832 million towards programs that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with set-asides for projects benefiting disadvantaged communities.

SCAG, as part of its board-adopted 2013 and 2014 legislative priorities, has partnered with transportation, local government, business and environmental stakeholders from around the state to work closely with the legislature to ensure that equitable allocations of cap-and-trade revenues flow to transportation programs and policies reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These critical funding programs are expected to help local jurisdictions and SCAG’s partners implement the 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.

The following information will provide partners and stakeholders with the most up-to-date information and resources available on funding opportunities.