環保人士振奮 企業批評聲浪大
美國加州州議會通過一項溫室效應氣體排放減量法案，預計將在2020年前減少25%的排放量。這是美國官方首度進行溫室氣體排放交易機制，未來14年欲將排放量減至1990年代的程度。這項法令透過市場機制誘使企業降低溫室氣體排放總量，往後加州電力公司、煉油廠和重工業的二氧化碳排放量都將受管制。
二氧化碳是燃燒煤油、石油和石油氣的副產物，也是最主要的溫室氣體；這些氣體圍繞在大氣層外，猶如一條毛毯裹在地球外層，造成全球暖化。
州議會以46比31通過這項法令，等州長簽字便正式通過。州長阿諾史瓦辛格和參議會和眾議院領袖會晤後表示：「我很高興宣佈，在對抗全球暖化的戰役中，加州正達成一項歷史性法律決議。」
這項行政命令要求溫室氣體排放量在2010年降到2000年水準，在2020年降到1990年排量，到2050年再減少80%。州長表示，兩院領袖皆同意將法令維持彈性，一旦加州經濟受影響，旋即調整內容。
這項法律將成立一套人為通報系統，溫室氣體排放的生產者必須將高排放量回報給加州空氣污染局(ARB)，空氣污染局依照法令讓「排放上限與額度交易計劃」順利進行，並在2012年獲得授權正式執行該法案。
加州政府此舉甚為鼓舞保育人士。共和黨環保組織加州分會長博克（Buddy Burke）表示，「人類無法漠視氣候變遷的急迫威脅，在全球暖化和乾燥化的環境下，公共衛生、供水和農業產量都面臨嚴峻考驗。史瓦辛格州長顯然知道，我們無法等待聯邦政府採取行動。」
企業界則頗有批評聲浪，他們認為這項法令會迫使優質公司和工作機會從加州出走，轉移到其他沒有管制的州，甚至其他國家。
加州商會會長兼執行長、同時也是加州永續環境與經濟發展協會會員札倫堡（Allan Zaremberg）認為，「AB32這項法案對加州能源供應力和可靠度都會產生負面影響，危害加州經濟和競爭力。」
The California state legislature has approved a bill that is intended to cut greenhouse gas emissions about 25 percent by 2020. By establishing the first government greenhouse gas emissions trading system in the United States, the measure is expected to decrease emissions to 1990 levels over the next 14 years.
California's heavy industry, electric utilities and refineries will be subject to limits on emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas, emitted when coal, oil and gas are burned. The bill allows for market mechanisms to provide incentives to businesses to reduce these emissions, which have formed a blanket in the Earth's atmosphere, raising the planetary temperature.
The bill was approved in the Assembly today on a vote of 46 to 31 and now awaits the signature of the governor. "I am happy to announce we have reached a historic agreement on legislation to combat global warming," Schwarzenegger said Wednesday, after talks with leaders of both houses.
The executive order calls for emissions to be reduced to 2000 levels by 2010; a reduction to 1990 levels by 2020 - the provision enacted - and a reduction of emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
The governor said legislative leaders have agreed on a flexible program that can be altered if it begins to hurt the state economically.
The legislation creates a mandatory emissions reporting system to monitor compliance. Greenhouse gas emitters must report "significant" emissions to the California Air Resources Board, ARB. The ARB is required to adopt regulations to enable a cap and trade program and gives ARB the authority to enforce the regulations beginning in 2012.
Conservationists were encouraged by California's action. "Climate change is a pressing concern that we can no longer ignore. Public health, water supplies, and farm productivity face significant risks in a hotter, drier world. Governor Schwarzenegger knows that we cannot wait any longer for the federal government to get off the dime," said Buddy Burke, president of the California chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP).
But the business community is critical of the new legislation, saying it will drive good companies and good jobs out of California to states or countries that do not have similar restrictions on businesses.
"AB 32 will have a severely negative effect on the affordability and reliability of California’s energy supply, jeopardizing California’s economy and our global competitiveness," said Allan Zaremberg, president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce and member of the Sustainable Environment and Economy, SEE, for California.
