Climate Solutions
Climate Change Policy
To achieve the goal of truly stemming global climate change, we must fundamentally transform the way we power our global economy. Such a transformation will require all of us to engage in a concerted effort over the near and long-term, to seek out opportunities and design actions to reduce greenhouse gas emmissions.Global Green is working on several fronts to help stem global climate change including policy and advocacy.
The Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32)
Assembly Bill 32 (ABAB32), the California Global Warming Solutions Act signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on September 2, 2006, is the most significant climate legislation passed to date in the United States. It requires California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020. Global Green advocated successfully for inclusion of language designed to allow low-income communities to directly participate in and benefit from the greenhouse gas reductions regulatory plan that is created as a result of AB 32.
$100 Million Secured for Green Schools
Global Green worked successfully to secure $100 million for green schools in the 2006 education bond. We have since continued to be a key advocate for the adoption of a comprehensive approach to green schools (using the Collaborative for High Performance Schools or “CHPS” as the standard) as the regulatory agencies moved through the bond implementation process. The State Allocation Board approved the high-performance schools program in August 2007.
Solar Solutions for Low Income Communities
Global Green has been working at the local, state, federal and international levels to promote greater use of solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies with the ultimate goal of creating a market transformation that favors renewable energy resources. Our immediate focus has been on lowering the cost of solar PV to make it cost competitive with conventional energy technologies and promoting Los Angeles and other municipalities as Solar Cities.
In 2006 Global Green waged a multi-pronged campaign to ensure that the $3.2 billion California Solar Initiative (CSI) included reasonable incentives for affordable housing developments. Assembly Bill 2723, authored by former Assembly member Fran Pavley, was the culmination of a three-year long effort by Global Green to ensure equity and access to solar for all Californians and was signed on September 30, 2006 by Governor Schwarzenegger. Following the signing of the bill, Global Green successfully advocated for the inclusion of low income/affordable housing provisions in the parallel CSI regulatory process at both the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.
AB 2021 - Nation's Largest Public Utility DWP Sets Aggresive Energy Efficiency Targets
Assembly Bill 2021 of 2006 (AB 2021) requires publicly-owned California utilities to set 10 year energy saving targets to capture all cost-effective savings. In June 2007, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT), Coalition for Clean Air, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and Global Green USA worked with the L.A. Department of Water & Power (DWP)—the largest municipal utility in the country—to reach the goals of AB 2021. The result of this effort was a commitment for an unprecedented energy efficiency investment. The utility aggressively budgeted $77.2 million for the current fiscal year, and expects to reap 275 Giga Watt Hours in energy savings. This is projected to cover DWP’s entire growth load through conservation.
The “30% Solution” - Modifying the International Energy Conservation Code
Global Green Policy and Legislative Associate David Fink traveled to Minneapolis from Sept. 17th through Sept. 23rd 2008 for the culmination of a nine month campaign aimed at updating the most utilized residential building code in the country to make it 30% more energy efficient. The “30% Solution” was championed by the Energy Efficient Codes Coalition (EECC) comprised of energy and environmental groups like Global Green, industry, and government agencies. The body that votes on code change proposals is the International Codes Council which is made up of building code officials from all over the country.
A two thirds majority was needed for passage of the proposal which fell five votes short. In spite of the setback, several smaller proposals were passed which achieved half of the larger proposal, making this the largest jump in energy savings in the history of the code. Modifying the International Energy Conservation Code is one of the most cost effective and practical ways to help mitigate the potentially devastating impact of global warming. Global Green and the EECC will work to implement the code in most states while continuing to push for a more stringent, energy efficient code in the years to come.
"Greening the Tax Credits" Campaign
Global Green's "Greening the Tax Credits" Campaign has spent the last year working with key stakeholders in New York State and NY City to encourage the adoption of green building criteria in the low income housing tax credit programs. In New York State Global Green evaluated the regional concerns and met with state level affordable housing and environmental advocates to gather information and input on the best approach. Ultimately, New York state adopted a final Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) in Spring 2008 that was admirable in its attempt to incorporate green building elements, but can still be improved. For New York City, which receives one-third of the state of New York's low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) allocation, Global Green has made recommendations for greening the 2009 QAP. Global Green has also provided the City with a set of Developer Fact Sheets -- one page informational sheets that outline specific green building issues, products and practices along with cost estimates. Global Green will continue to advocate to Mayor Bloomberg and the City’s Housing and Preservation Department for adoption of the most robust set of green building criteria possible.
Global Solar Report Card
The Global Green Global Solar Report Card looks at countries’ progress to date in terms of solar installed, as well as drivers for future growth, namely policy frameworks in place such as financial and regulatory incentives. Germany – an early and enduring champion of solar, ranked the highest. California, also included in the study, fared well, thanks to its California Solar Initiative, and 10 year $3 billion rebate program. Despite the United States’ recent extension of the Investment Tax Credit, its overall rating was just fair.
With this report card, Global Green will highlight the leaders and best practices that can be replicated while pointing out the laggards in fostering solar markets. The report also considers countries that stand to gain most by developing their solar markets given their solar resources and how polluting their current electricity generation is. The final version of the report card will be available online in November 2008. If you have any questions, or are interested in receiving a copy of Matt Peterson's presentation on the Report Card at Solar Power International, please contact Alexandra Kravetz.
Publications
Solar City Report: How Los Angeles can Gain the Economic and Environmental Competitive Edge
Global Green USA's proposal for the City of Los Angeles to develop its solar resources by committing to "carving out" 1% (80 megawatts) of its electrical generation capacity for photovoltaic technology. Benefits for the City include economic development opportunities, stabilizing electric rates, improving air quality and reducing green house gas emissions. Winter 2005.
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Green Building Developer Fact Sheets
As part of Global Green's Greening the Tax Credits Campaign, an effort to encourage various states around the country to adopt sustainable building practices as part of the state-administered federal low-income housing tax credit program, we recently published Green Building Developer Fact Sheets, which highlight various sustainable building practices and provide information about local product availability and cost. The first set of fact sheets is for Louisiana, the second set for NY State.
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