Governor Jerry Brown, former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Pro Tempore Kevin De Leon and political, environmental and business leaders from across the State, came together on July 25, 2017 to celebrate the extension of California’s landmark cap-and-trade program. The leaders met on Treasure Island, with the San Francisco skyline in the background, to sign AB 398 and to reaffirm the State’s bipartisan commitment to reducing pollution and promoting economic growth.
“Thanks to bipartisan support California was able to extend its historic cap-and-trade program which protects our environment and preserves our nation-leading economic growth,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Governor Brown and legislative leaders from both parties came together to ensure that California continues to march toward a clean, prosperous future. I hope politicians around the country can learn from the example set in Sacramento last week. Republicans and Democrats were able to come together to pass legislation that helps clean up our environment for our children while at the same time supporting a booming economy.”
Governor Schwarzenegger also took the opportunity to remind the world that “America did not drop out of the Paris agreement. America is fully in the Paris agreement. The states and the cities in America, the private sector, the academic sector, the scientists – everyone is still in the Paris agreement. There’s only one man that dropped out.”
Senate Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, speaking after Governor Schwarzenegger, said “as the Trump Administration seeks to undermine our nation’s climate leadership – the world is looking to California. We are proving that growing an economy and protecting the environment is not an either-or proposition; we can and will continue to do both. Today’s extension of our landmark cap-and-trade program, coupled with our effective clean energy policies, will move us forward into the future and we plan to take the rest of the world with us.”
Governor Brown closed the program with a strong reminder that “California is leading the world in dealing with the principal existential threat that humanity facing.” And added “we are a nation-state in a globalizing world and we’re having an impact and you’re here witnessing one of the key milestones in turning around this carbonized world into a decarbonized, sustainable future.”
California’s cap-and-trade program was created by AB 32: The Global Warming Solutions Act, which Governor Schwarzenegger supported and signed into law on Treasure Island 11 years ago. The program was slated to expire in 2020 but thanks to AB 398, authored by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and passed with Republican support, it is now extended to 2030.
CA Bipartisan Bill Extends Cap-and-Trade Program to Reduce Carbon Emissions & Expand Economic Growth
