Comment Log Display

Considering that Greenhouse Gas Emissions in terms of carbon
dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are going up globally and in
California, every effort must be made to maximize the carbon
absorption of natural working lands and reduce the emissions of
other greenhouse gases. I commend CARB for its comprehensive
efforts through modeling and otherwise to determine where the
greatest benefit would be. In regard to the overall strategy, it is
my judgement that:
1.	Coastal ecosystem carbon should be included and considered as
the carbon absorption potential of say sea grasses (such as Eel
grass at Point Molate in the San Francisco Bay) is immense - it is
estimated that such grasses have and average of about 12 feet of
carbon rich soil underneath them. As such, using existing grasses
as nurseries and transplanting them all along the California coast
would pay enormous dividends, both in terms of long-term carbon
absorption and ocean biodiversity.
2.	In all of the moist coastal forests and in the areas burned out
by wildfires, and aggressive strategy needs to be pursued to add at
least 3 million Hectares (about 11,600 square miles) of new forest
with diverse species - this should include agroforestry and urban
forestry. The layout design of these newly forested areas should be
that these are segmented in such way so as to make it easier to
control wildfires by our fire fighters in the future, while still
connected enough to provide wildlife crossings from different
areas. The practice of clear cutting by timber contractors should
be ended in all forest areas (federal and state) as this practice
ahs been shown to make wildfires more severe and to have an adverse
effect on biodiversity.
3.	A deliberate focus must be brought to bear on all animal
agriculture as this contributes immensely to methane emissions,
both in enteric fermentation and in emissions from manure lagoons.
Agriculture on both agricultural land that is used to provide feed
to animals and direct animal concentrated feed operations should be
reduced by 50% by 2045.
4.	The practice of expanding cattle ranch areas into wildlife
preserves, such as the Tule Elk reserve near Point Reyes just north
of San Francisco city, should be banned.
5.	The practice of offering Carbon Offsets to companies in
California so they can meet their requirements under the Cap &
Trade program, or other such programs, should be discontinued as
these are of dubious value. WE ARE NOT GOING TO START REDUCING GHG
EMISSIONS UNLESS ALL CARBON EMISSIONS ARE REDUCED AT EVERY SOURCE.
The practice of allowing carbon and other emissions elsewhere so
that they can be absorbed  in forests and shrublands is highly
uncertain and should be discontinued. Besides the locations where
the emissions are allowed usually suffer from the bad health
effects of such pollution.
6.	Greenhouse Gas Emissions wherever they occur, mainly due to
fossil fuel combustion, need to be reduced in a quantitatively
adequate fashion in all sectors of the economy, so as to be Zero by
2045. The carbon absorption in Natural Working Lands should be
counted as a bonus that goes to help the global need to start
reducing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from its current high
of 420 ppm (parts per million). 

The above comments are based substantially on the transformation
"plan" proposed for the global level and for the US and California
in my book, "Brighter Climate Futures - A Global Energy, Climate &
Ecosystem Transformation", Dr. Hari Lamba, Regent Press, Berkeley,
CA, Sep 2020