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Comment 126 for 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan (scopingplan2022) - Non-Reg.

First NameTom
Last NameLent
Email Addresstom.d.lent@gmail.com
AffiliationWalk Bike Berkeley
SubjectAccelerate emissions reduction, not CDR + ebikes for fast VMT
Comment
Please CARB, you can do better! You lay out the urgency well, but the preferred plans are not up to the task. Your plan will not meet what the science says we must. The impact to the economy and human health and wealth will be devastating if we do not dramatically up the game. We can't afford to delay or miss.
  • Don't plan based on CDR. Cost effective carbon dioxide removal does not yet exist and the current technologies require more energy to operate than is available. It is dangerous wishful thinking to depend on unproven, yet to be invented CDR to meet our emission goals. Support CDR development, but make plans only based on accelerating and improving known, cost effective technologies that have already demonstrated their capabilities, like wind, solar, energy storage, and distributed energy resources management.
  • Overhaul or end Cap & Trade: The current program has too many credits and not enough rigor to reduce emissions. Radically rework it or wind it down and focus on regulation to meet the that we need.
  • No new investments in fossil fuel extraction & transportation infrastructure. The science in undeniable and the policy guidance from the IPCC and Guterres is unequivocal. California must not allow any more drilling, new pipelines or other processing or transportation infrastructure development to expand or extend fossil fuel use. Period. CDR can not change this.
  • Front load emissions reductions efforts - target 80 percent reduction in emissions by 2030. We need far more aggressive policies to meet the requirements of the science and to end the building and sale of fossil fuel burning devices much more rapidly than proposed.
    • No more gas fired power plants. Immediately. Period.
    • 100% renewable electricity by 2030. Speed up the renewable electricity requirements of SB 100 and put a greater emphasis on more resilient decentralized energy sources and demand control. We must lead the way to get the country to 100% by 2035. Obviously this means a crash program for energy storage as well.
    • Stop sales of gas powered light duty cars by 2025 and heavier duty shortly thereafter.
    • Accelerate building electrification. End of life is too late for replacing building heating technology. Require electric conversion on property sales, institute large incentives to proactively replace before end of life and set a 2026 end date for sales of new gas combustion appliances.
  • Much more aggressive VMT reduction. Even with more a sooner ban on sale of new gas ICE cars and other aggressive measures to encourage replacement, it is wishful thinking to hope that we will turn over the fleet to electric cars fast enough to meet emission reduction imperatives. VMT reduction measures must be elevated to emergency status .
    • Prioritize active transportation infrastructure. Flip the budget prioritization of car vs active transportation infrastructure expenditures.
    • Expand definition of electric vehicles to include ebikes. Every EV related program should include not only electric cars but ebikes with similar absolute amounts of subsidy per vehicle purchased. At current EV subsidy rates, we can give ebikes away to low income people and make them very cheap to everyone else. This could be one of the most rapid ways to get serious VMT reductions. The potential of ebikes is seriously underestimated. Ebikes are 20 times more efficient than electric cars at a tenth of the cost and can boost avoided gas vehicle VMT dramatically. They are practical for a wide range of commute, shopping and recreation travel up to 10 miles, which accounts for the vast majority of driving . They moot the impact of hills, headwinds, and loads without the effort and sweat that have kept bikes from serious consideration for many people previously. See the ClimateAction Center E-Bike Guide for more policy options and for data on the effectiveness of ebikes and ebike programs. (http://www.climateaction.bike/)
We need a plan that realistically meets the science with very rapid dramatic real reductions in emissions . Anything less is unrealistic wishful thinking that will have devastating effects on Californians. Don't set yourself up to regret this plan in five years.
 
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Tom Lent 
E-bike Project Coordinator, Walk Bike Berkeley

 


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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted 2022-06-23 16:59:22

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