Green Bag Lunch on California Climate Change Legislation

On January 24th 2007, Net Impact hosted a lunchtime presentation at which Charles Shulock, a project leader at the California Air Resources Board, discussed topics in environmental legislation. Mr. Shulock is currently working to implement AB 1493, the California legislation that directed the Board to adopt regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.

Mr. Shulock covered a variety of subjects, such as implementing emissions trading (and the difficulties that arise in determining how to equitably distribute emissions credits), balancing "free market" forces with legislation, and ensuring that California environmental regulations correspond with national and international environmental regulations. An area of particular interest to the participants was how the California Air Resources Board could quantify and subsidize air-friendly activities such as commuting by bicycle or in a carpool (the answer: it is difficult, but the Board is trying). Mr. Shulock also discussed the importance of working with local corporations and industries, as well as not driving manufacturers out of the state because of the high cost of compliance.

In all, the lunch was very well received, and the participants enjoyed meeting graduate students from other departments as well as the speaker himself.