美国通过第一个温室气体总量控制法案

美国通过第一个温室气体总量控制法案



本周四，加州通过了美国历史上第一个温室气体总量控制法案——《全球温室效应治理法案》（Global Warming Solutions Act）。议会中的投票情况是46票对31票，这一举动树立了美国在温室气体控制问题上的一个里程碑。

这份法案被称为AB32，规定在2020年，加州二氧化碳气体的排放量要减少25%，控制在1990年的排放水平。

这项法案获得通过，是因为共和党州长阿诺德·施瓦辛格与民主党掌控的立法机构在全球变暖问题上达成了一致立场。

本周三施瓦辛格表示：“我很高兴地宣布，在应对全球变暖的问题上，我们已经在法律上达成了历史性的一致。加州下一步的工作就是建立起以市场为基础的交易系统，成为世界碳减排的先锋。” “我在任期间，不仅要信守保护环境的承诺，还要留给后世子孙一个比今天更好的环境。”

该法案在加州的主要反对方来自共和党。他们认为法案没有完全考虑到企业的利益，为了逃避温室气体控制，很多企业可能转移到温室气体控制力度较小的发展中国家。本周三，在加州参议院中该法案以23比14票通过。施瓦辛格计划下月签署该法案。

《全球温室效应治理法案》使加州在2006年和欧盟一并成为减排温室气体的先驱。而且，由于布什政府一直以来推行以自愿减排为主的温室气体控制政策，“加州这种总量控制的举动使华盛顿处于尴尬的地位。”美国环保协会（Environmental Defense）的高级律师吉姆马斯顿（Jim Marston）说，“这个法案为施瓦辛格提供了创造历史的舞台，使得美国跟上了世界全球变暖政策的步伐。”

加州议会发言人法比安·努乃兹（Fabian Nunez）表示，这个法案的通过是靠两党合作和市民的支持。

这个法案的通过会对施瓦辛格在今年十一月的州长选举起到积极的作用。同样，对温室气体控制问题的态度也会影响到2008年的总统大选。

加州是美国环保方面的领跑者，但加州的温室气体排放居世界第十二位。随着气温的升高，加州还存在潜在的饮用水、海岸线、农业和空气质量的问题。（王淏）



Original Version 1:



Statement by Gov. Schwarzenegger on Historic Agreement with Legislature to Combat Global Warming



Gov. Schwarzenegger released the following statement regarding a deal struck between the Administration and the legislature on AB 32:



“Today, I am happy to announce we have reached a historic agreement on legislation to combat global warming.



“We can now move forward with developing a market-based system that makes California a world leader in the effort to reduce carbon emissions. The success of our system will be an example for other states and nations to follow as the fight against climate change continues. AB 32 strengthens our economy, cleans our environment and once again, establishes California as the leader in environmental protection.



“Throughout the negotiations, my primary concern was that the Legislature passed a bill that provided the flexibility to address unforeseen circumstances. AB 32 will ensure that the state can make adjustments throughout its implementation.



“When I ran for office, I promised to not only help protect the environment, but also help turn back the clock to make sure that the environment we leave for our children is better than the one we have today. The state is the 12th largest carbon emitter in the world despite leading the nation in energy efficiency standards and its lead role in protecting its environment. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is an issue we must show leadership on.



“It’s amazing the work that can be done for the people of California when Democrats and Republicans work together. I want to thank Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, Senator Don Perata and Assemblymember Fran Pavley for the hard work they have put in to make this agreement something we can all be proud of.”





Original Version 2:

AB 32 in the Sacramento Bee



------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------

Governor, lawmakers strike deal on greenhouse gases By Judy Lin -- Bee
Capitol Bureau Published 4:16 pm PDT Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday struck
a deal on legislation to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions by
25 percent over the next two decades.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, hailed the long-bargained
agreement as a ground-breaking bill that has the potential to influence
the rest of the nation.

"This is the most important day of my brief legislative career," Nunez
said.

Schwarzenegger has pledged to sign Assembly Bill 32, which is expected
to be voted on in the Senate later Wednesday.

"We can now move forward with developing a market-based system that
makes California a world leader in the effort to reduce carbon
emissions," he said in a statement. "The success of our system will be
an example for other states and nations to follow as the fight against
climate change continues. AB 32 strengthens our economy, cleans our
environment and once again, establishes California as the leader in
environmental protection."

His fellow Republicans in the Legislature said the bill was the wrong
approach.

"Adopting costly and unattainable regulations will drive businesses and
jobs out of California into other states - and even into other countries
with no commitment to improve air quality," said assembly Republican
leader George Plescia, R-La Jolla. "We need a national consensus to
truly have an impact on this problem, not a state-by-state approach that
will harm businesses and make matters even worse."

Under the bill, California would take the lead in limiting greenhouse
gas by reducing emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020.

Starting in 2012, the state would enforce a statewide cap on industries'
emissions.

The bill directs the California Air Resources Board to develop
regulations, as well as establish a mandatory reporting system to track
emissions.

"California is acting while Washington drags its feet," said Jim Marston
senior attorney with Environmental Defense. "This bill sets the stage
for Governor Schwarzenegger to make history and get America's global
warming policy on track with the rest of the world."

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, California is the
world's 12th largest source of carbon dioxide - the chief heat-trapping
gas that causes global warming.

Advocates argue that by restricting greenhouse gas emissions, the state
would motivate more businesses to develop and use more green technology
- creating more jobs and wealth for the state's economy.

Two economic analyses suggested the state could generate 83,000 jobs and
$4 billion in income by 2020.

Advocates estimate the state will reduce 174 million metric tons of
greenhouse gases.

Reaching the deal involved a tremendous amount of negotiating. On
several occasions, Nunez said he was "ready to throw in the towel."

At issue was the governor's request for mandatory market trading on
carbon emissions, which would help businesses meet their quotas at the
lowest cost.

Some environmental groups opposed such trading, fearing it would enable
businesses to sidestep emission requirements.

In the end, the bill does not require trading, but instead directs the
Air Resources Board to set up a roadmap for trading.

Administration officials also want broad oversight, arguing that the Air
Resources Board lacked the expertise to regulate so many industries. But
lawmakers prevailed in the end, and the board retains oversight under
the bill.

At one point, amendments to the bill had called for a council made up of
five seats appointed by the governor and four appointed by the
Legislature.

Schwarzenegger had expressed concern that the bill lacked an escape
clause that would allow the government to lift caps in case of
unexpected circumstances. Administration officials cited the state's
energy crisis as a prime example of why the state needs to have the
power to intervene.

Under the agreement, the governor has one year to lift the cap under
extreme circumstances.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



加州抛出减排温室气体法案

     加州提出一项完全背离联邦政府的重要法案，以大力减少温室气体排放，支持者们期望法案能在全国推行。

     加州州长、共和党人阿诺·施瓦辛格（Arnold Schwarzenegger）将该法案称为“其他州及国家都应效仿的实例”，因为控制全球变暖仍是项任重道远的工作。

     美联社消息说，经过几周激烈的讨论后，该法案终于在本周三以23比14获得了州参议院通过。如果民主党控制的议会获得通过，将由加州州长签署生效。

     州议会发言人、民主党人士法比安·努涅斯（Fabian Nunez）称：“我们的主要目的是制订一个可让环保界在全国推广的法案，他们可以对别的州说‘加州这样做了，那么你们也应该效仿。’”

     法案规定：到2020年，州内主要工业，如电厂、石油炼制工厂、水泥厂等减少约25%的二氧化碳及温室气体排放。其中，推动减排计划的重要机制是市场手段，即允许公司之间买卖及交易排污指标。

     自然资源保护委员会是参与法案讨论的环保组织之一，其专家安·诺斯夫（Ann Notthoff）称：“现在感觉象是全世界都在关注着这件事。”

     州政府、州议会、州参议院的领导人同时表示了对法案的赞同。这是今秋就要面临选举的加州政府在环境领域的取得了一个重要胜利。

     法案规定，加州空气资源局――一个政府指派的11人组成的工作小组，必须将市场机制作为实现减排目标的一部分。

     环保主义论者认为，该法案标志着加州又向应对全球变暖迈进了一步。但一些企业领导却抱怨说，这将增加运营成本，他们不得不缩小在加州的运营范围。共和党人对这一法案非常反对，他们认为法案成效微小，并会增加加州的商业成本。森·丹尼斯·霍林兹沃斯（Sen Dennis Hollingsworth）称：“法案将使加州经济变得萧条。”

     加州是美国人口最多的州，也是世界第12大温室气体排放的经济体。全球气温只要上升几度，它就将受到严重的影响。在联邦政府未采取任何措施的情况下，应对全球变暖的最大希望则聚焦在各州。国会曾拒绝了100余个有关气候的法案，其中还包括一个控制温室气体排放的全国性法案。

     通过可再生能源政策和2004年的机动车尾气减排法案，加州在全美国的温室气体减排方面处在了领先地位。美国有超过20个州发展太阳能、风能或沼气等可再生能源。同时，有10个州效仿了加州的机动车尾气减排法案。

     该法案还含有“安全阀”。当加州遭受自然灾害、恐怖分子袭击及其他紧急情况时，加州政府可延后执行减排计划。

      除了控制法案，加州立法者们还投票决定了其他有关全球变暖的法规。有一项法规禁止加州与州外未完成二氧化碳减排任务的企业签订长期合同，该法规在州议会以43比30的比率获得通过，目前已交给参议院等待最后审批。（魏圆）



Original Version:

Calif. proposes anti-global warming bill
By SAMANTHA YOUNG, Associated Press Writer 6 minutes ago

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California will impose broad caps on its greenhouse-gas emissions under a landmark plan that marks a clear break with the federal government and which backers hope will become a national model.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who helped assemble the plan, called Wednesday's agreement "an example for other states and nations to follow as the fight against climate change continues."

The plan came after weeks of difficult negotiations and was sent to the state Senate, which approved it late Wednesday with a 23-14 vote. If approved by the Democratically-controlled Assembly, which is expected, the bill would then go to the governor's desk.

"My main objective was getting a bill that the environmental community can champion around the country and say, 'California did this, and you should be too.' And we did that," said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a Democrat.

The bill requires the state's major industries — such as utility plants, oil and gas refineries, and cement kilns — to reduce their emissions carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by an estimated 25 percent by 2020.

One of the key mechanisms designed to drive the reductions is a market program that will allow businesses to buy, sell and trade emission credits with other companies.

"Today it feels as if the whole world is watching, and I hope they are," said Ann Notthoff of the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the environmental groups involved in the negotiations.

The agreement was announced simultaneously by the governor's office and Democratic leaders in the Senate and Assembly. It gives the governor a key environmental victory as he seeks re-election this fall.

The bill states that the California Air Resources Board — an 11-member panel appointed by the governor — must identify "market-based compliance mechanisms" that might be used as part of its plan to reach the cap.

The cap was praised by environmentalists as a step toward fighting global climate change. It was criticized by some business leaders, who say it will increase their costs and force them to scale back their California operations.

Republicans blasted the bill, saying the bill would have little effect and make California an expensive place to do business. "This bill is the road to economic ruin for California," said Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth.

The nation's most populous state is the world's 12th largest emitter of greenhouse gases and could suffer dire consequences if global temperatures increase only a few degrees.

In the absence of federal action, much of the effort to combat climate change has been focused in the states. More than 100 climate-related bills have been held up in Congress, including one that calls for a national cap on greenhouse gas emissions.

California has led the country in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through its renewable energy policies and a 2004 law reducing tailpipe emissions from vehicles.

Ten other states are poised to enact California's auto rule, while more than 20 states have required utilities to eventually generate some power from renewable sources such as solar, wind and geothermal.

The bill includes a so-called "safety valve" sought by Schwarzenegger that would allow California's governor to delay the emission-cap mandate if the state is hit with a natural disaster, terrorist attack or some other emergency.

In addition to the emissions cap, California lawmakers voted to approve related global warming legislation. That bill would prohibit the state from entering long-term contracts with any out-of-state utility that fails to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. The bill passed by a 43-30 vote in the Assembly. It goes to the Senate for final approval.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060831/ap_on_re_us/global_warming