California’s Great Climate Fail That Biden Plans To Replicate Nationwide

President Biden has made California his green-energy model, so it’s noteworthy that a new study shows that the Golden State is failing to meet its greenhouse-gas emissions goals in part because of its climate obsession.

State law gives the California Air Resources Board (CARB) sweeping power to reduce statewide emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

The anti-carbon czars have used this mandate to implement a cap-and-trade program, low-carbon fuel standard, electric-vehicle, and renewable electricity mandates, among other regulations that raise costs for residents and businesses.

Yet the state is still falling far short of its climate goals, according to a report by the left-leaning policy shop Next 10—and that’s with soft grading that ignores the enormous emissions from wildfires and renewable fuels.

“Assuming the same three-year average rate of reduction from 2017 to 2019 (-1.3%), California will reach its 2030 and 2050 goals in 2063 and 2111, respectively,” Next 10 writes.

“Slowing renewable energy growth, underwhelming transportation sector gains, and a worrisome cross-sector over-dependence on natural gas pose major challenges for the state.”

Last year the state added more natural gas power capacity than solar. The reason: Fossil fuels are needed to back up unreliable renewables, especially as nuclear power plants are forced to shut down and drought limits hydropower. It also has to import power from other states, some of which are generated by coal.

Emissions from businesses and homes are also rising in part due to population growth, especially inland. Environmental and zoning regulations jack up housing prices on the coast, so middle-class families are settling inland where winters are colder and summers are hotter. This requires more heating and air conditioning. Longer commutes also increase emissions.

Another rich irony: Measures to protect the ozone layer under the 1987 Montreal Protocol are contributing to global warming.

One of California’s fastest-growing sources of emissions is “high-global warming potential gases” from “Substitutes for Ozone Depletion Substances” that are used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and fire suppression, the report says.

Emissions from wildfires have also soared due to years of forest mismanagement. Blame politicians who have prioritized climate. Last year’s wildfires were the state’s second-largest source of emissions, exceeding industrial businesses and the grid.

A single fire in northern California produced more greenhouse gases than all non-industrial businesses.

Yet Next 10 excludes wildfires from its tally of statewide emissions because it says its focus is “fossil fuel combustion and other anthropogenic emissions.”

It also excludes “biogenic materials” including renewable fuels that are used to replace oil even though they are a large source of the state’s emissions.

Including wildfires and renewable fuels would show emissions have risen since 2000, making California’s anti-carbon crusade look like an even bigger failure. Rather than make the emissions goals more realistic, Next 10 recommends doubling down.

Democrats don’t need the prodding. Last year Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered that sales of new gas-powered cars be banned by 2035.

Then during the summer, CARB upped the ante by proposing to require all new light-duty cars sold in the state by 2025 to be electric, and that refineries be shut down by 2035, which would effectively ban gas-powered cars.

Climate is the left’s substitute for religion, and politicians are making Californians martyrs to the cause. The main point seems to be suffering in the name of anti-carbon virtue because that suffering hasn’t done much to reduce emissions.

Read more at WSJ