California Climate Executive Orders Explained

The California Climate Change Executive Orders are a series of Executive Orders of the State of California signed by the Governor of California between 2004 and 2020 relating to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California.

Summary

California Climate Change Executive Orders^[1]

data-sort-type="isoDate"	Date !	data-sort-type="text"	Exec. Order !	Summary	Ref.
data-sort-value="2004-04-20"		S-07-04	Hydrogen Transportation: designates the 21 interstate freeways in California as the "California Hydrogen Highway Network" and directs state agencies to plan and build a network of hydrogen fueling stations along these routes by 2010	^[2]
data-sort-value="2004-12-14"		S-20-04	Green Buildings: state agencies shall reduce energy use in state-owned buildings by 20% in 2015 and increase energy efficiency.	^[3]
data-sort-value="2005-06-01"		S-03-05	Establishes targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction	^[4]
data-sort-value="2006-04-25"		S-06-06	Establishes targets for biofuel production within California and biomass energy production	^[5]
data-sort-value="2006-10-18"		S-20-06	Directs state departments to implement a cap-and-trade program	^[6]
data-sort-value="2007-01-18"		S-01-07	Low Carbon Fuel Standard established	^[7]
data-sort-value="2008-11-14"		S-13-08	Directs state agencies to complete analysis of the effects of sea level rise on California	^[8]
data-sort-value="2008-11-17"		S-14-08	Establishes renewable energy generation share for retail sellers of electricity in California	^[9]
data-sort-value="2009-09-15"		S-21-09	Renewable Energy: coordinates efforts between CARB, PUC, and ISO	^[10]
data-sort-value="2012-03-23"		B-16-12	Directs state agencies to encourage the commercialization of zero emission vehicles, sets goal of 1 million ZEVs by 2020	^[11]
data-sort-value="2012-04-25"		B-18-12	Efficiency standards for new and remodeled state-owned buildings	^[12]
data-sort-value="2015-04-29"		B-30-15	Sets interim target of greenhouse gas emissions 40% less than 1990 levels by 2030	^[13]
data-sort-value="2015-07-17"		B-32-15	Sets goals for ZEVs in freight transportation	^[14]
data-sort-value="September 20, 2019"		N-19-19	Requires various state agencies to leverage their existing investments, spending, or state-owned building to further CA's climate goals.	^[15]
data-sort-value="2020-09-23"		N-79-20	Makes all California vehicles emissions free - cars and passenger trucks by 2035, medium and heavy duty trucks by 2045	^[16]

Individual orders

S-03-05

California Executive Order S-03-05^[17] (June 2005, signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger) sets greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for the State of California and laid out responsibilities among the state agencies for implementing the Executive Order and for reporting on progress toward the targets.

Specifically, the Executive Order established these targets:

• By 2010, reduce GHG emissions to 2000 levels
• By 2020, reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels
• By 2050, reduce GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels

The first and second goals were enshrined into law by the legislation known as AB 32, or the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006,^[18] which gave the California Air Resources Board broad authority to implement a market-based system (also known as cap-and-trade) to achieve these goals.

B-30-15

California Executive Order B-30-15 (April 2015, signed by Governor Jerry Brown) added the intermediate target of:

• By 2030, reduce GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels.

This intermediate target was codified into law by SB 32, which was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on September 8, 2016.^{[19] [20]} On July 17, 2017, the legislature passed AB 398, which authorized the Air Resources Board to operate a cap and trade system to achieve these emissions reductions.^{[21] [22]}

B-55-18

California Executive Order B-55-18^[23] (Sept 2018, signed by Governor Jerry Brown) took the further step of:

• By 2045, achieve statewide carbon neutrality.

N-79-20

California Executive Order N-79-20 (September 2020, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom) established this executive order with the goal:

• For all new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emission by 2035
• All medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to be zero-emission by 2045 for all operations where feasible
• All drayage trucks to be zero-emission by 2035
• All off-road vehicles and equipment to be zero-emission by 2035

The Executive Order requires the California Air Resources Board to promulgate regulations implementing these goals and for state agencies to accelerate the deployment of affordable fueling and charging options for zero-emissions vehicles, and to develop a Zero-Emissions Vehicle Market Development Strategy by January 31, 2021.

External links

• Web site: California Climate Change Executive Orders . State of California.
• California's Climate Change Program: Lessons for the Nation . 2009 . Nichols, Mary D. . Mary D. Nichols . UCLA Journal of Environmental Law and Policy . 27 . 2 . 10.5070/L5272019569 . 6 December 2018. free .

Notes and References

1. Web site: California Climate Change Executive Orders . State of California . 6 December 2018.
2. Web site: Executive Order S-07-04 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . April 20, 2004 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060922230500/http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?%2Fexecutive-order%2F3374%2F . 22 September 2006 . dead .
3. Web site: Executive Order S-20-04 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . December 14, 2004 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050424173632/https://www.usgbc.org/Docs/News/News1217.pdf . 24 April 2005 . dead.
4. Web site: Executive Order S-3-05 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . June 1, 2005 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018.
5. Web site: Executive Order S-06-06 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . April 25, 2006 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018.
6. Web site: Executive Order S-20-06 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . October 18, 2006 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070913194715/http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?%2Fexecutive-order%2F4484%2F . 13 September 2007 . dead .
7. Web site: Executive Order S-01-07 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . January 18, 2007 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081026081001/http://gov.ca.gov/executive-order/5172/ . 26 October 2008 . dead.
8. Web site: Executive Order S-13-08 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . November 14, 2008 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091124000416/http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?%2Fexecutive-order%2F11036%2F . 24 November 2009 . dead .
9. Web site: Executive Order S-14-08 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . November 17, 2008 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091124000410/http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?%2Fexecutive-order%2F11072%2F . 24 November 2009 . dead .
10. Web site: Executive Order S-21-09 . Schwarzenegger, Arnold . Arnold Schwarzenegger . September 15, 2009 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091123220131/http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?%2Fexecutive-order%2F13269%2F . 23 November 2009 . dead .
11. Web site: Executive Order B-16-12 . Brown, Jerry . Jerry Brown . 23 March 2012 . Governor of California . 27 March 2019.
12. Web site: Executive Order B-18-12 . Brown, Jerry . Jerry Brown . 25 April 2012 . Governor of California . 6 December 2018.
13. Web site: Executive Order B-30-15 . Brown, Jerry . Jerry Brown . 29 April 2015 . Governor of California . 27 March 2019.
14. Web site: Executive Order B-32-15 . Brown, Jerry . Jerry Brown . 17 July 2015 . Governor of California . 27 March 2019.
15. Web site: Executive Order N-19-19 . Newsom, Gavin . Gavin Newsom . 20 September 2019 . Governor of California . 6 August 2024.
16. Web site: Executive Order N-79-20 . Newsom, Gavin . Gavin Newsom . 23 September 2020 . Governor of California . 23 September 2020.
17. Web site: California Executive Order S-3-05 . June 1, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060922231000/http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?%2Fexecutive-order%2F1861%2F . 22 September 2006 . dead . State of California, Office of the Governor . 6 December 2018 .
18. 2006 . An act to add Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) to the Health and Safety Code, relating to air pollution . September 27, 2006 . 488 . 3419.  direct URL
19. 2016 . An act to add Section 38566 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to greenhouse gases . September 8, 2016 . 249 .  direct URL
20. News: Megreian. Chris. Dillon. Liam. Gov. Brown signs sweeping legislation to combat climate change. 21 July 2017. Los Angeles Times. 8 September 2016.
21. 2017 . An act to amend, repeal, and add Sections 38501, 38562, and 38594 of, and to add and repeal Sections 38505.5, 38590.1, 38591.1, 38591.2, 38591.3, 38592.5, and 38592.6 of, the Health and Safety Code, to add Section 4213.05 to, to add Article 3 (commencing with Section 4229) to Chapter 1.5 of Part 2 of Division 4 of, and to repeal Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 4210) of Part 2 of Division 4 of, the Public Resources Code, and to amend Section 6377.1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to public resources, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately . July 25, 2017 . 135 .  direct URL
22. News: Megerian. Chris. Mason. Melanie. California Legislature extends state's cap-and-trade program in rare bipartisan effort to address climate change. 21 July 2017. Los Angeles Times. 17 July 2017.
23. Web site: California Executive Order B-55-18. September 10, 2018. State of California.