Bay Area Council Statement on Gov. Brown’s New Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets

The Bay Area Council today (April 29) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s announcement of an Executive Order setting new greenhouse gas reduction goals for the state of 40 percent below 1990 by 2030:

“Gov. Brown has put forward very aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals, but the goals will be meaningless without similarly aggressive action on key policies needed to achieve them,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “California’s ability to achieve these goals and continue to grow our economy will depend on new energy and communications technologies, new investment and new regulatory approaches. We need more emphasis on fast-tracking infill and transit-oriented development that can reduce our dependence on automobiles. We also need to reform the California Environmental Quality Act to end rampant and unwarranted abuses of the law that delay or block everything from bicycle lanes to solar farms. The Bay Area Council Economic Institute’s recent report – 21st Century Infrastructure: Keeping California Connected, Powered and Competitive – lays out a strong vision for moving California forward consistent with Gov. Brown’s objectives for increased renewable energy and efficiency. It also raises important questions that we’ll need to answer about our readiness to turn this vision into reality.”