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Cap-and-Trade Program
Welcome
This website provides information on implementing California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade program. The program is a central element of California's Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) and covers major sources of GHG emissions in the State such as refineries, power plants, industrial facilities, and transportation fuels. The regulation includes an enforceable GHG cap that will decline over time. ARB will distribute allowances, which are tradable permits, equal to the emission allowed under the cap.
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Implementation
Background
The AB 32 Scoping Plan identifies a cap-and-trade program as one of the strategies California will employ to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cause climate change. This program will help put California on the path to meet its goal of reducing GHG emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020, and ultimately achieving an 80% reduction from 1990 levels by 2050. Under cap-and-trade, an overall limit on GHG emissions from capped sectors will be established by the cap-and-trade program and facilities subject to the cap will be able to trade permits (allowances) to emit GHGs.The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has designed a California cap-and-trade program that is enforceable and meets the requirements of AB 32. The development of this program included a multi-year stakeholder process and consideration of potential impacts on disproportionately impacted communities. The program starts on January 1, 2012, with an enforceable compliance obligation beginning with the 2013 GHG emissions.
California is working closely with British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba through the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) to develop harmonized cap-and-trade programs that can deliver greater GHG emission reductions at lower costs than could be realized through a California-only program. WCI has formed a non-profit corporation, WCI, Inc., to provide coordinated administrative and technical services for the state and provincial emissions trading program.
Contact Us
For questions, please contact the Stationary Source Division at (916) 322-2037.
