Greenhouse Gas Emissions Decline, Despite 80 Percent California Economy Growth
California’s greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production has declined since 1990 despite the economy growing by nearly 80 percent, a California Energy Commission tracking progress report has found.
The drop in greenhouse gas emissions occurred when the state’s population grew by almost 30 percent, the report said.
The recently released report focuses on greenhouse gas emissions and underscores the effect that California’s Senate Bill 32 is having on emissions. That 2016 legislation calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.
The report uses data from the Energy Commission and the California Air Resources Board’s 2016 Greenhouse Gas Inventory. It is a snapshot on how the state is doing in meeting goals to reduce emissions.
Side by side charts included in the report show changes to the state’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1990.
The chart on the left illustrates how total greenhouse gas emissions have dropped since a peak in 2004, while per capita emissions have steadily declined since 2001.
The chart on the right shows a marked divergence since 1990 between rising gross domestic product -- which grew nearly 80 percent since then -- and declining greenhouse gas emissions as determined by per gross domestic product unit.
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Source:
California Energy Commission data and California Air Resources Board Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 2016
edition data.
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The graph below shows how emissions from the electricity sector (blue) declined as electricity consumption (red) rose over time.
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Source:
California Energy Commission data and California Air Resources Board Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 2016
edition.
|
The red dashed line shows 1990-level emissions. The purple line shows the state’s 40 percent reduction target (assuming a 40 percent reduction target for all sectors by 2030). The graph shows emissions associated with electricity produced within and outside California, for use in state.
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Source:
California Energy Commission data and California Air Resources Board Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 2016
edition.
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Senate Bill 350, signed into law in 2015, requires electric corporations to accelerate programs and investments in widespread electrification, and the voluntary transformation of the California Independent System operator (California ISO) into a regional organization.
The transformation of the California ISO is expected to help integrate renewable generation for greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in California and neighboring states, at a reduced cost.
