Existing law establishes various energy and environmental goals for the state, including to (1) reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 40% below 1990 levels by no later than December 31, 2030, (2) achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions and reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions by a specified percentage by no later than 2045, (3) procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources so that the total kilowatthours of those products sold to retail end-use customers in California achieves 44% of retail sales by December 31, 2024, 52% by December 31, 2027, and 60% by December 31, 2030, (4) supply certain percentages of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by certain dates and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2035, with eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources, (5) employ statewide energy efficiency savings and demand reduction that will achieve a cumulative doubling of statewide energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas final end uses of retail customers by January 1, 2030, compared to those achieved by January 1, 2016, (6) reduce statewide emissions of methane by 40%, hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40%, and anthropogenic black carbon by 50% below 2013 levels by 2030, and (7) reduce the statewide level of disposal of organic waste by 75% below the 2014 level by 2025.
This bill would create the Energy, Environment, and Economy Council with 16 members, as specified. The bill would require the council to engage with stakeholders, subject matter experts, and state and local agencies with jurisdiction relevant to environmental protection and economic vitality in order to determine the policies that can be implemented to meet the state’s environmental goals, while avoiding harm to the state’s economy and maintaining specified protections. The bill would require the council, by July 1, 2024, to submit a report to the Legislature that makes recommendations on appropriate policies to achieve the above-stated environmental goals and policies, while maintaining specified protections, ensuring consumer choice is not compromised, and avoiding harm to the state’s economy.