Related Article:
Green Technology Interview
with study author Dr. David Roland-Holst.
Click here.
|
|
by Racquel Palmese
Three recent reports from the non-profit group Next 10 provide vital
perspective on the convergence of environmental challenges and the economy
in California. Culminating with the
California Green Innovation Index,
they show that investment in green technology, energy efficiency, and
far-reaching environmental protection programs have added – and will
continue to add – significant numbers of jobs and dollars to the state's
economy. The cost of inaction, on the other hand, is astronomical.
Taking a look back at California's energy efficiency policies over the
last 30 years, Next 10's report,
Energy Efficiency, Innovation, and Job Creation in
California, finds that over the last 30 years, these
policies have created 1.5 million full-time jobs with a total payroll of
over $45 billion. They have saved consumers in the state over $56 billion
on energy costs.
The challenges of climate change and economic growth have been met in
California by stepping up, not backing off from, green initiatives. In
2005 Governor Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order
S-3-05, calling for a 30 percent
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 80 percent below 1990
levels by 2050. In 2006 the California legislature passed the far-reaching
Global Warming Solutions Act,
AB 32, mandating that the California Air
Resources Board create a policy roadmap to meet the AB 32 emissions
reduction targets.
Next 10 estimates that achieving 100 percent of AB 32's greenhouse gas
emissions reduction targets will increase the Gross State Product (GSP) by
some $76 billion. It will also increase real household incomes by up to
$48 billion and create up to 403,000 new jobs.
California Climate Risk and Response
examines the economic damage of inaction to climate change across the
sectors of water, energy, tourism and recreation, real estate,
agriculture, forestry, fisheries, transportation and public health are
estimated to be, in 2006 dollars, at least $7.3 billion and could total as
much as $46.6 billion. Of the state's $4 trillion in real estate assets,
the report states that $2.5 trillion is at risk from extreme climate
related events, such as sea level rise, wild fires and extreme weather.
Mitigating these risks will take investment in technology and
infrastructure, and a continuing commitment to increasing energy
efficiency. All of these, says Next 10, will create jobs and spur business
development. The California Green Innovation Index finds that in
California energy productivity is 68 percent higher than in the rest of
the nation, generating billions of dollars for the state.
Among other findings:
-
Capital investment in green tech ventures almost doubled in one year in
California, hitting $3.3 billion in 2008 – 57 percent of the national
total.
-
From 2002-2007 California led all states in patent registrations for green
technologies.
-
Since 2005, green jobs in California have grown ten times faster than
total job growth in the US.
-
Power generation from renewable sources increased 19 percent in California
from 2002-2007, and since 2003 wind power generated for the state
increased 95 percent.
-
Public transportation expanded 22 percent from 2005-2006, with over 100.5
million transit service miles added.
-
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento registered 20 percent of all the
hybrid vehicles in the U.S. in 2007.
|
