Climate Change Research Concepts

This page last reviewed January 12, 2010

---

Identification and implementation of cost-effective and feasible actions to meet ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for California continue to be among the ARB’s highest priorities. The targets were set by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32), which calls for rolling back the state’s emissions to a 1990 baseline by the year 2020. To meet the challenge, the State is undertaking landmark initiatives in renewable energy, energy efficiency, high-speed rail, low carbon transportation fuels and vehicles, a cap-and-trade program, and other steps. All these actions are also viewed as enabling steps for the State’s 80 in 50 vision; a future in which emissions fall 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. It is widely recognized that such reductions will require, in addition to technological innovation, changes in land use and personal and institutional behaviors. Not all impacts can be avoided. Thus, the State is also building a plan to guide adaptation to climate and environmental change. The California Climate Change Research Center, administered by the California Energy Commission, has been researching climate change for more than a decade. This solicitation is issued for research that complements or expands previous and ongoing work. The intent of ARB-supported research should be to facilitate continued progress towards achieving and maintaining our GHG reduction goals.

Changes in the global climate due to increases in anthropogenic carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions are projected to result in significant regional effects on ambient temperature, humidity, and precipitation. Most effects are projected to be detrimental to California’s ecology, water resources, agriculture, coastal areas, air quality, and public health. Accordingly, ARB must continue to refine our understanding of regional impacts of climate change and the consequences of a warming world on California's air quality. The State is also conducting evaluations of economic and health impacts and benefits; research that supports these priorities is also desirable. A general description of areas of emphasis is provided below.

---

• General research to advance the understanding and implementation of GHG emission reduction strategies identified in the AB 32 scoping plan.

• Identification of other cost-effective climate change mitigation strategies (technology or non-technology based) based on new emerging information that can further the State’s GHG reduction efforts.

• Technical and policy analysis of abatement options for non-CO2 and non-Kyoto GHGs.

• Identification of behavioral strategies that can, with currently available technologies and at low-cost, reduce GHG emissions from individual, residential, business activities, and government operations. Results will support voluntary emissions reductions that do not depend on technological advances or new regulatory structures.

• Research intended to improve understanding of behavioral responses of individuals and organizations to a variety of price and non-price policies for inducing mitigation of greenhouse gases.

• The impact on emission and air quality of energy-efficiency and conservation measures funded by the federal stimulus.

---

• Further advances and refinements of the statewide GHG emission inventories. This effort is to include the identification, characterization, and evaluation of inventory methods, uncertainties, and the sensitivity of the methods to inputs.

• Source-specific characterization methods and verification of emission reductions including associated uncertainties.

• Identification, expansion, and application of methods (existing and emerging) for lifecycle analysis of proposed mitigation strategies and inventory development of lifecycle (direct and indirect) emissions.

• Advances on the climate impact of non-CO2 GHG emissions, including those not included in the international Kyoto Protocol, with particular emphasis on black carbon and methane emissions.

• Developing, improving, and applying GHG emission forecasting methods to project climate change emission inventories into the future in California, including characterization of associated uncertainties and characterization of responses to regulatory actions.

• Identifying and characterizing the emission reduction potential of strategies, including informational strategies, direct regulation, incentive regulation, and tradeable permits. Determine protocols applicable for determining and verifying emission reduction strategies associated with changing behavior (e.g., eco-driving, product labeling, carbon offsetting, etc.).

---

• Building on work recently commissioned, additional characterization of California-specific impacts of short-lived climate change pollutants (e.g., methane, black carbon, ozone precursors) and sensitivity of projections to such parameters as time horizon and emission levels to facilitate short-lived species’ prioritization for mitigation via regulations, market-based approaches, or a combination of strategies.

• Complementary efforts to current work that advances the characterization of economic and public health impacts of climate change on California.

---

Proponents should visit ARB’s on-line research concept submission site to submit concepts by February 17, 2010. Concepts will be reviewed by ARB staff, representatives from other research organizations, the Board'sResearch Screening Committee, and the Executive Research Review Committee. A final selection of research concepts will be presented to the Board for approval at its September 2010 meeting. Once approved by the Board, ARB staff will either work with proponents to turn the research concepts into full project proposals or develop competitive solicitations.

---

---

ARB's Climate Change Page