Climate Change Policy for Transit Agencies
Policy makers at the international, federal, state and local levels are beginning to take steps to address the monumental problem of global warming. This policy overview is intended to give you a general sense of the dynamic and complex climate change policy arena.
International
Internationally, climate change policy has focused primarily on the Kyoto Protocol. This treaty, which was negotiated in 1997, creates a set of policy mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries to below 1990 levels by the period between 2008 and 2012.
The Kyoto Protocol would have required the U.S. to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. However, in March of 2001 the Bush administration announced that it was pulling out of the Protocol-meaning that the U.S. , a signatory to the treaty, would not seek to implement or ratify it and is now playing a minimal role in its negotiations. The main reasons cited by the Bush administration for not signing the agreement are that the agreement does not regulate emissions from developing countries, and that the emissions reductions requirements of the protocol would harm the U.S. economy.
In spring of 2002, the European Union and Japan both ratified the treaty, and Australia announced that it would not ratify. The treaty goes into effect when countries representing 55% of the total emissions regulated by the protocol ratify it-a mark it will reach if Russia ratifies. In the meantime, many countries are introducing their own climate change policies. The European Union set an initial goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000 and met this goal largely by changing some electricity production from coal to natural gas-although high European gasoline prices and efforts to introduce alternative fuels are also given some credit for this success. The United Kingdom and the European Union are both proceeding to implement greenhouse gas trading mechanisms, and the United Kingdom is introducing strategies to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of autos and buses.
National
Despite the setback in national climate change policy caused by the United State’s decision not to ratify the Kyoto protocol, climate change continues to be an issue on the national agenda. In the spring of 2002, President Bush announced his climate change initiative, which calls for increased voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases and a voluntary 18 percent reduction in emissions intensity-or the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions to gross domestic product (GDP). However, as our GDP grows, this plan allows our emissions to grow. According to a Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) analysis based on the growth projections in the President’s plan, the climate change initiative will actually result in a net 14% increase in national greenhouse gas emissions. And, rather than meeting the Kyoto protocol goal of 7 percent less emissions than 1990 levels, under this plan the U.S. will be emitting 30 percent more in 2012 than in 1990.
There are a few climate change proposals in the 107th congress, which focus on power plant emissions and are stricter than the president’s plan, but none have been made into law as of July 2002. Examples of these proposals include: HR. 1256, Sponsored by Representative Waxman (D-CA); HR. 1335, sponsored by Representative Allen (D-ME); S. 1131, sponsored by Senator Leahy (D-VT); and S. 556, “The Clean Power act of 2001,” which was passed by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on June 27, 2002.
So, while it is unlikely that transit agencies will face mandatory federal greenhouse gas emissions limits in the near future, it is almost certain that transit agencies who take action to reduce their greenhouse gases will be continue to be able to register their emissions reductions federally and potentially participate in a voluntary national greenhouse gas trading market.
States
Many states have taken strong leadership roles on climate change in recent years. New Jersey committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 3.5 percent below the 1990 levels by 2005. One-third of these reductions will come from energy-efficiency improvements in buildings; one-third from greater use of clean energy technologies and renewable resources, and one-third from improvements in transportation efficiency, waste management and resource conservation. California created a climate registry in 2001 that will allow businesses to measure baselines and record greenhouse gas emissions reductions with the state for potential future credit. The California Legislature also passed a bill placing limits on the greenhouse gas emissions of automobiles beginning in 2009. States such as Oregon, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have enacted limits on power plant emissions. Overall, 34 states and territories have conducted statewide greenhouse gas inventories, and 26 have initiated state action plans to reduce GHG emissions. Some of these states are using the state’s environmental, agriculture, or energy agencies to create emissions reduction policy; others are enacting new state laws and rules, including tax credits for energy efficiency and alternative energy. Many states now offer tax credits for alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuel infrastructure development.
Localities
Cities and counties, too, are in the game: 114 U.S. municipalities participate in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiative (ICLEI)’s Cities for Climate Protection Program. Participants of this program must conduct a base-year emissions analysis of their greenhouse gas emissions; forecast emissions growth; adopt an emissions reduction target and an action plan outlining the proposed activities to achieve the emissions reduction target; implement the actions in their plan; and monitor and verify their emissions reductions.
Seattle, one of the leaders in this area has set a goal of meeting the Kyoto Protocol emissions reduction targets of 7 percent below 1990 levels. In line with this, the municipal utility, Seattle City Light, will make its electricity generation net greenhouse gas emission neutral. Largely through conservation and purchases of wind power, Seattle will meet rising local electricity demand without creating greenhouse gases over the next decade and will offset all its emissions through greenhouse gas offset purchases.