California

40% by 2030 | 85% and carbon neutral by 2045

Relative to 1990 levels

2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality

The 2000-2022 Greenhouse Gas Inventory was published in September 2024.

Climate Action Team

Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee

"Disadvantaged communities" are the 25% highest scoring census tracts from CalEnviroScreen, which includes areas burdened by combinations of poverty, high unemployment, air and water pollution, presence of hazardous wastes, and/or high incidence of asthma and heart disease, as well as all Tribal lands.

CalEnviroScreen

At least 25% of investments from cap-and-trade revenue must go to disadvantaged communities and 10% to low-income communities, individuals, and households.

Office of the Attorney General – Bureau of Environmental Justice

CalEPA – Environmental Justice Task Force

CARB – Environmental Justice Section

Environmental Justice Advisory Committee

Disadvantaged Community Advisory Group

California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank

The Public Employees’ Retirement System and the State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) are prohibited from making new investments or renewing existing investments of public employee retirement funds in thermal coal companies, starting in 2017.

CalSTRS has pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the CalSTRS Investment Portfolio by 2050, or sooner, with an interim goal of reducing emissions from the portfolio by 50% by 2030.

California's Cap-and-Trade Program covers the electricity, buildings, transportation, and industrial sectors, covering around 80% of state emissions.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) must incorporate the social cost of carbon when adopting rules and regulations around emissions reductions.

60% renewable electricity by 2030 | 90% by 2035 | 95% by 2040 | 100% by 2045

38 million metric tons (MMT) reduction by 2030 | 35 MMT by 2032

Achieving 100 Percent Clean Electricity in California

Building the Electricity Grid of the Future: California's Clean Energy Transition Plan

For projects over 50MW, the California Energy Commission (CEC) is allowed to oversee the permitting of clean and renewable energy facilities and facilities that produce clean energy technologies, if facilities opt into the CEC's jurisdiction. Environmental impact reports by the CEC must be completed within 270 days.

Counties can serve as lead agencies (instead of the state) for permitting and environmental review of geothermal energy projects.

In California, once a developer opts into the state's siting process, planners and local officials are relegated to the role of interested parties. State authorities will likely often give serious consideration to well-founded local concerns, but they aren't obligated to reject a project just because it doesn't meet local zoning requirements.

California received a B grade from Freeing the Grid.

Utilities must study the feasibility of grid enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors and then file a report with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO).

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

California has an active community choice aggregation program.

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

1,385 megawatts (MW) of storage by 2020, of which 500 MW must be distributed storage, and 15 gigawatts (GW) of storage and demand response by 2032

The statewide energy code for residential construction is the California 2025 Energy Code.

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is the California 2025 Energy Code.

The California Green Building Standards (CALGreen) include voluntary reach codes for local jurisdictions wishing to exceed minimum building requirements.

The Appliance Efficiency Regulations apply to over 70 products.

Electric utilities are required to achieve savings targets ranging from 1737.3 gigawatt hours (GWh) to 8,482.8 GWh for 2024-2035, depending on the utility.

Gas utilities are required to achieve savings targets ranging from 17.1 million metric therms (MMTherms) to 189.3 MMTherms for 2024-2035, depending on the utility.

California has enacted residential and commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs.

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Phases out natural gas burning furnaces and hot-water heaters in new buildings by 2030

Updated 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards promotes the use of heat pumps in residential and commercial buildings.

Gas utilities can pilot up to 30 cost-effective neighborhood-scale decarbonization projects in lieu of replacing gas pipelines. These zero-emission pilots may take the form of “neighborhood electrification” or thermal energy networks.

California LEV Program

Model Year (MY) 2026: 35% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs | MY 2030: 68% of new sales are ZEVs | MY 2035: 100% of new sales are ZEVs, with up to 20% being hybrid or hydrogen-powered vehicles.

In response to the passage of federal resolutions repealing California’s Clean Air Act waivers for Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), and the Low NOx Omnibus Rules, Governor Newsom directed CARB to propose "Advanced Clean Cars III" regulations as an alternative for ACC II, ACT, and Low NOx rules.

The Consumer Assistance Program offers incentives between $1,350 to $2,000 to for income-qualifying residents to retire operational vehicles that meet certain requirements.

The Low NOx Omnibus Rule applies to Model Year 2024 onwards.

In response to the passage of federal resolutions repealing California’s Clean Air Act waivers for Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), and the Low NOx Omnibus Rules, Governor Newsom directed CARB to propose "Advanced Clean Cars III" regulations as an alternative for ACC II, ACT, and Low NOx rules.

By 2035: 55% of Class 2b-3 truck sales are zero-emissions | 75% of Class 4-8 straight truck sales are zero emissions | 40% of Class 7-8 tractor sales are zero-emissions.

In response to the passage of federal resolutions repealing California’s Clean Air Act waivers for Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), and the Low NOx Omnibus Rules, Governor Newsom directed CARB to propose "Advanced Clean Cars III" regulations as an alternative for ACC II, ACT, and Low NOx rules.

50% of newly purchased light-duty vehicles in the state fleet each year are ZEVs

15% of newly purchased medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MDHVs) in the state fleet are ZEVs by 2026 | 30% are ZEVs by 2030

100% of public transit agencies' bus fleets are zero-emission by 2040

100% of newly purchased or contracted school buses are zero-emission by 2035

Requires EV charging infrastructure for certain new single- and two-family dwellings, as well as at least 10% of parking spaces designated for EVs in new multifamily dwellings. For new nonresidential buildings, requires one EV parking space for buildings with 10+ total parking spaces, increasing the required number of EV spaces incrementally up to 200 spaces; for developments with 200+ spaces, at least 6% of total spaces must be designated for EVs.

The California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) offers rebates for the purchase and installation of publically available Level 2 and direct current (DC) fast chargers.

2018 Zero-Emission Vehicle Action Plan Priorities Update

CARB has set regional GHG targets for each metropolitan planning organization for 2020 and 2035, ranging between a 3-19% decrease in per capita emissions by 2035, relative to 2005 emissions levels.

California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program requires an overall 20% reduction in carbon intensity in 2030

California is ranked 4th out of 50 in the 2024 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists.

State agencies must consider the emissions performance of suppliers when procuring steel, flat glass, and mineral wool insulation for state infrastructure projects.

The state must achieve a 40% reduction in cement emissions by 2035, and net-zero by 2045, relative to 2019 levels.

CARB must also develop a framework for measuring and reducing the embodied carbon of building construction materials, primarily at the materials production stage, and can utilize an embodied carbon trading system as a potential path to achieve the required GHG reductions.

The state has a target to reduce HFC emissions to 40% below 2013 levels by 2030.

The state prohibits certain HFCs in specific stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning end-uses.

The Fluorinated Gases (F-gas) Emission Reduction Incentive Program offers rebates for low GWP equipment and funding for pilot projects/programs

From 2011-2020, the annual maximum rate of SF6 emissions was reduced by 1 percent each year. Since 2020, the maximum SF6 emissions rate cannot exceed 1 percent for any owners of SF6-insulated switchgear.

Starting in 2025, utilities are restricted from purchasing SF6 equipment after certain dates, require new emissions limits, set reporting requirements, and maintain gas-insulated equipment inventories.

Methane emissions must be reduced 40% below 2013 levels by 2030.

State law also prohibits oil drilling within 3,200 feet of sensitive community areas, including residences, schools, health care facilities, and businesses.

The Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management (CalGEM) Division prohibits issuing new permits to conduct well stimulation treatments, including fracking, for oil and gas wells.

Municipal solid waste landfills must reduce methane and other air pollutant emissions through emissions monitoring and through capturing fugitive methane.

Food waste target – 50% reduction by 2020 and 75% by 2025, relative to 2014 levels.

Food waste ban – The state requires commercial generators of organic waste to either compost or anaerobically digest organic waste.

The Healthy Soils Program (HSP) Incentives Program provides financial assistance for implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Healthy Soils Program Demonstration Projects showcase California farmers and rancher's implementation of healthy soil practices, and create a platform for promoting adoption of these practices throughout the state.