California sets global example with historic deal to reduce emissions

[cal04]

The state of California is embarking on a ground-breaking effort to curb global warming, following an agreement between Arnold Schwarzenegger, the state's movie star Republican Governor, and the Democrat-dominated state legislature, to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2020.

The agreement, the result of months of fractious negotiation and considerable bad blood between Mr Schwarzenegger and his fellow Republicans, sets California far apart from the Bush administration, which has rejected the Kyoto Protocol and questioned the very existence of global warming.

It also opens the way to an outpouring of technological advances in alternative energy in the Golden State - from solar panels on homes and businesses to battery-powered cars and biodiesel trucks.

Like others, Mr Schwarzenegger argues that fighting global warming makes good business as well as environmental sense.
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1223130.ece

[Lisa]

1. okay, so that's >30 million people covered

This is a big step! California is a large, powerful state -- and also it's long been perceived as a trend-setter.

Add to this the fact that the New England states (also a big population bloc) have signed a trans-border agreement with Canada -- and it certainly puts the long-term momentum on the pro-environment side.