Trump is creating a void on climate change. Can California persuade other states to help fill it?
California made no secret of its ambitions when it enacted a landmark law on global warming just over a decade ago. Progress here on slashing greenhouse gas emissions, the law said, would have “far-reaching effects by encouraging other states, the federal government and other countries to act.”
Now the goal has become more critical than ever as President Trump rolls back national environmental regulations. No matter how hard California pushes, the country will fall short of its obligations under the Paris agreement on climate change unless more states try to keep pace.
So far, experts say, not enough is being done. A dozen states are emulating California’s rules on tailpipe emissions, and even more are setting benchmarks for increasing renewable energy. But persuading them to adopt other, more ambitious policies, such as requiring polluters to pay fees through a cap-and-trade system, remains elusive despite years of efforts.
“I’m not giving up hope,” Gov. Jerry Brown said in an interview. “But it has been difficult.”
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-california-national-climate-leadership-20170415-story.html
