West

California

California has long been a leader in climate and environmental justice policy and is one of the world’s largest economies. Despite ambitious climate policies, including an emissions reduction target of 85% below 1990 levels by 2045, emissions decreased only 7% from 1990-2021. Around half of in-state electricity is generated from renewables, and the state is the nation’s top producer of electricity from solar and geothermal resources. The state ranks 7th in the country for crude oil production, although both crude oil and natural gas production are steadily declining.
GHG Reduction Targets
All targets relative to 2005 levels
2030 :

40%

2045 :

85%

2045 :

Carbon neutral

Governor
Gavin Newsom (Democrat)
House Party
Democratic Supermajority
Senate Party
Democratic Supermajority
Legislative session
1/3/24 - 8/31/24
US Climate Alliance Status
Member

47

Policies Enacted or In Progress
across 7 policy areas

15

Policy Opportunities
across 4 policy areas

West

11 states
This map shows the occurrence of climate policies passed at the state-level. Higher numbers represent more climate policies enacted.

Progress by Policy Area

  • Enacted
  • In-progress
  • Partially Enacted
  • Not Enacted
Glossary of Terms
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in California

Created in partnership with
Filters
Status Policy Policy Area Policy Category YR Enacted
Enacted
Empty column

40% by 2030 | 85% and carbon neutral by 2045

Relative to 1990 levels

Establishing Policies
Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2022
Enacted
Empty column

2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2022
Enacted
Empty column

The 2000-2022 Greenhouse Gas Inventory was published in September 2024.

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2024
Enacted
Empty column

Climate Action Team

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2005
Enacted
Empty column

Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2017
Enacted
Empty column

"Disadvantaged communities" are the 25% highest scoring census tracts from CalEnviroScreen, which includes areas burdened by combinations of poverty, high unemployment, air and water pollution, presence of hazardous wastes, and/or high incidence of asthma and heart disease, as well as all Tribal lands.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2012
Enacted
Empty column

CalEnviroScreen

Establishing Policies
Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2014
Enacted
Empty column

At least 25% of investments from cap-and-trade revenue must go to disadvantaged communities and 10% to low-income communities, individuals, and households.

Establishing Policies
Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2016
Enacted
Empty column

Office of the Attorney General – Bureau of Environmental Justice

CalEPA – Environmental Justice Task Force

CARB – Environmental Justice Section

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Enacted
Empty column

Environmental Justice Advisory Committee

Disadvantaged Community Advisory Group

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Not Enacted
Empty column

Cumulative impact assessments determine the health and environmental impacts of renewing or granting a permit for certain pollution-generating facilities in environmental justice communities. Increased pollution burdens in communities may result in the permit application being denied.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition plans are documents that outline policies and recommendations aimed at supporting communities, workers, and industries affected by the transition away from fossil fuels. The plans often focus on workforce development and retraining, job creation, and economic diversification.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition offices and staff assist workers and communities transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction and use, typically through retraining programs and support with relocation and economic diversification. Offices and staff also coordinate with other state agencies to effectively design policy to achieve a just transition.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition advisory bodies write or advise on a state's just transition plan or report, and make recommendations on ways to support affected workers, communities, and industries. The bodies can consist of all non-government members, or be a mix of government and non-government members.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition funds support initiatives and investments aimed at facilitating the equitable transition of workers and communities affected by shifts in industries or policies that transition from fossil fuels.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Enacted
Cross-Sector
Climate Finance 1944
Enacted
Empty column

California's Cap-and-Trade Program covers the electricity, buildings, transportation, and industrial sectors, covering around 80% of state emissions.

Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation 2012
Enacted
Empty column

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) must incorporate the social cost of carbon when adopting rules and regulations around emissions reductions.

Establishing Policies
Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation 2016
Enacted
Empty column

60% renewable electricity by 2030 | 90% by 2035 | 95% by 2040 | 100% by 2045

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2022
Enacted
Empty column

38 million metric tons (MMT) reduction by 2030 | 35 MMT by 2032

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Achieving 100 Percent Clean Electricity in California

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2021
Not Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
0/5
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
10/11
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
enacted
4/6
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Enacted
Empty column

California has an active community choice aggregation program.

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation 2002
Enacted
Empty column

1,385 megawatts (MW) of storage by 2020, of which 500 MW must be distributed storage, and 15 gigawatts (GW) of storage and demand response by 2032

Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage 2021
Enacted
Empty column

California received a B grade from Freeing the Grid.

Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Coal phaseouts establish a target year by which states must end coal-fired power generation.

Electricity
Coal Retirement
Not Enacted
Empty column

Coal securitization is a financing tool that allows utility companies to refinance debt they issued to build coal plants and close the facilities early without taking a financial hit or passing costs on to ratepayers.

Electricity
Coal Retirement
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for residential construction is the California 2022 Energy Code.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2021
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is the California 2022 Energy Code.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2021
Not Enacted
Empty column

Stretch building energy codes are an optional, more stringent building code established by the state that local jurisdictions can adopt to require that newly constructed buildings are more efficient than the baseline state codes.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes
Enacted
Empty column

The Appliance Efficiency Regulations apply to over 70 products.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards 2019
Not Enacted
Empty column

Building performance standards establish energy and/or greenhouse gas performance targets for existing buildings in a state. These targets increase in stringency over time, leading to efficiency improvements in buildings to conserve energy and reduce emissions.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards
Not Enacted
Empty column

Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards
Enacted
Empty column

Electric utilities are required to achieve savings targets ranging from 1737.3 gigawatt hours (GWh) to 8,482.8 GWh for 2024-2035, depending on the utility.

Gas utilities are required to achieve savings targets ranging from 17.1 million metric therms (MMTherms) to 189.3 MMTherms for 2024-2035, depending on the utility.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2023
Enacted
Empty column

California has enacted residential and commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs.

Establishing Policies
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2007
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
3/4
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency
Enacted
Empty column

Phases out natural gas burning furnaces and hot-water heaters in new buildings by 2030

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Electrification 2022
Enacted
Empty column

California LEV Program

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Model Year (MY) 2026: 35% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs | MY 2030: 68% of new sales are ZEVs | MY 2035: 100% of new sales are ZEVs, with up to 20% being hybrid or hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles 2022
Enacted
Empty column

The Clean Vehicle Rebate Program offers rebates for new electric vehicles (EVs): up to $7,500 for battery and hydrogen fuel cell EVs, $6,500 for plug-in hybrid EVs, and $750 for zero-emission motorcycles.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles 2009
Enacted
Empty column

The Low NOx Omnibus Rule applies to Model Year 2024 onwards.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles 2020
Enacted
Empty column

By 2035: 55% of Class 2b-3 truck sales are zero-emissions | 75% of Class 4-8 straight truck sales are zero emissions | 40% of Class 7-8 tractor sales are zero-emissions.

MY 2036: 100% of truck sales must be ZEVs.

By vehicle class:

- Drayage trucks – 2024: New trucks must be ZEV | 2035: 100% of drayage trucks must be ZEVs

- Public MHDVs – 2027: 100% of the state's fleet must be ZEVs

- “High-priority fleets”, defined as companies with at least 50 trucks owned and operated in the state or with more than $50 million in annual revenue – By 2042: 100% ZEVs

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles 2021
Not Enacted
Empty column

Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric vehicle rebates consist of programs and policies that offer rebates to make MHD electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Enacted
Empty column

50% of newly purchased light-duty vehicles in the state fleet each year are ZEVs

15% of newly purchased medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MDHVs) in the state fleet are ZEVs by 2026 | 30% are ZEVs by 2030

Establishing Policies
Transportation
Lead by Example 2017
Enacted
Empty column

100% of public transit agencies' bus fleets are zero-emission by 2040

100% of newly purchased or contracted school buses are zero-emission by 2035

Transportation
Lead by Example 2023
Enacted
Empty column

Requires EV charging infrastructure for certain new single- and two-family dwellings, as well as at least 10% of parking spaces designated for EVs in new multifamily dwellings. For new nonresidential buildings, requires one EV parking space for buildings with 10+ total parking spaces, increasing the required number of EV spaces incrementally up to 200 spaces; for developments with 200+ spaces, at least 6% of total spaces must be designated for EVs.

Establishing Policies
Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure 2022
Enacted
Empty column

The California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) offers rebates for the purchase and installation of publically available Level 2 and direct current (DC) fast chargers.

Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure
Enacted
Empty column

2018 Zero-Emission Vehicle Action Plan Priorities Update

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets 2018
Enacted
Empty column

CARB has set regional GHG targets for each metropolitan planning organization for 2020 and 2035, ranging between a 3-19% decrease in per capita emissions by 2035, relative to 2005 emissions levels.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets 2018
Enacted
Empty column

California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets 2010
Enacted
Empty column

California is ranked 4th out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
5/5
Transportation
Public and Active Transportation
Enacted
Empty column

State agencies must consider the emissions performance of suppliers when procuring steel, flat glass, and mineral wool insulation for state infrastructure projects.

The state must achieve a 40% reduction in cement emissions by 2035, and net-zero by 2045, relative to 2019 levels.

CARB must also develop a framework for measuring and reducing the embodied carbon of building construction materials, primarily at the materials production stage, and can utilize an embodied carbon trading system as a potential path to achieve the required GHG reductions.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Industrial Decarbonization 2021
Enacted
Empty column

The state has a target to reduce HFC emissions to 40% below 2013 levels by 2030.

The state prohibits certain HFCs in specific stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning end-uses.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations 2018
Enacted
Empty column

From 2011-2020, the annual maximum rate of SF6 emissions was reduced by 1 percent each year. Since 2020, the maximum SF6 emissions rate cannot exceed 1 percent for any owners of SF6-insulated switchgear.

Starting in 2025, utilities are restricted from purchasing SF6 equipment after certain dates, require new emissions limits, set reporting requirements, and maintain gas-insulated equipment inventories.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Methane emissions must be reduced 40% below 2013 levels by 2030.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations 2016
Enacted
Empty column

The Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management (CalGEM) Division prohibits issuing new permits to conduct well stimulation treatments, including fracking, for oil and gas wells.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations 2024
Enacted
Empty column

Municipal solid waste landfills must reduce methane and other air pollutant emissions through emissions monitoring and through capturing fugitive methane.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management 2010
Enacted
Empty column

Food waste target – 50% reduction by 2020 and 75% by 2025, relative to 2014 levels.

Food waste ban – The state requires commercial generators of organic waste to either compost or anaerobically digest organic waste.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management 2016
Enacted
Empty column

The Healthy Soils Program (HSP) Incentives Program provides financial assistance for implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture 2021
Enacted
Empty column

The Healthy Soils Program Demonstration Projects showcase California farmers and rancher's implementation of healthy soil practices, and create a platform for promoting adoption of these practices throughout the state.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture 2021

The State Climate Policy Dashboard tracks only passed policies and does not include bills currently proposed in legislative sessions. The website is intended to illustrate the current status of policies for each state, as well as key resources and model states for each policy.

Much of the information contained in this database is derived from the public domain, with links to resources provided. The information provided is made available solely for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Click here for full Terms of Use.

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