Governor, May I Take One Baby Step?

Schwarzenegger calls for slow and steady climate action

In line with his recent climate-action plan to reduce the state's greenhouse-gas emissions 25 percent by 2020, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) called yesterday for power plants, refineries, and factories to begin ... reporting their emissions. Ah, well: baby steps. In a speech, Schwarzenegger advocated a "sensible and deliberate" approach to greenhouse-gas reduction, stopping short of endorsing immediate carbon caps. "We don't want to go after business and make business leave the state," he said. "We want to give them time." The California EPA is currently conducting a study of cap-and-trade systems, which will be complete in 2010. At that point, said the Governator, the state could create "the world's best market-based system to limit and slash emissions." Enviros were disappointed that Schwarzenegger didn't get behind a recently introduced bill in the state legislature that would institute caps. "He punted," said Bill Magavern of the Sierra Club.