Global Warming Solutions Act: 6 Ways It Affects Government Action on Climate Change

The United States has struggled to have a comprehensive strategy to reduce greenhouse gases and combat global warming. However, two states have passed a law called the Global Warming Solutions Act. Both California and Massachusetts are fighting to reduce their emissions, increase their clean energy capacity, and encourage energy-efficient practices.

Their Global Warming Solutions Act plans use government intervention to solve the climate crisis. Here are six ways the governments of those states are acting:

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1. Follow Kyoto: While the U.S. has never ratified the Kyoto Protocol, the California Global Warming Solutions Act has state agencies focusing on the same emissions, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydro fluorocarbons, and per fluorocarbons.

2. Incentivize electric transportation: In Massachusetts, the Global Warming Solutions Act resulted in an electric vehicle incentive program which awarded 132 charging stations to cities.

3. Keep an eye on refrigeration: In an effort to reduce the leakage of ozone-depleting substances from refrigeration in the California, the state has created a Refrigeration Management Program. The Global Warming Solutions Act requires owners of large refrigeration systems to register and submit to leak inspections.

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4. Lead in the energy usage reduction: Massachusetts decided to “lead by example” in the reduction of the use of heating oil at state facilities. They lowered their usage by 50 percent in five years.

5. Cap and Trade: The California Global Warming Solutions Act sets “caps” on emissions for certain greenhouse gases. It also, however, allows industries that might have a hard time meeting those limits the opportunity to “trade” or essentially buy certain allowances if they are not able to meet those caps.

6. Pave the way for wind energy: Massachusetts state government plans to focus on building the infrastructure to support investments in wind energy. Wind off the eastern coast of the state is seen as the area’s largest renewable resource.

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