On May 7, 2008, CARB issued a technical study that they say conclusively demonstrates that California's clean cars law (the Pavley regulations) achieves 41 percent greater total reductions of greenhouse gases nationwide compared to the recently proposed federal fuel economy standards by 2020. In 2020, California's clean car law will result in the equivalent of removing an additional 14 million cars compared to the federal standards.
The new ARB study is based on a comparison of greenhouse gas reductions from cars and trucks under the California standards and under the schedule for fuel economy standards proposed for 2011 through 2015 by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.
The ARB study found the following:
• By 2016, California regulations will have prevented a total of 55 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2 from being emitted into the air in California as compared to 36 MMT under the proposed federal fuel economy standards - 50 percent more and a difference of 20 MMT.
• By 2020, California's rules will have prevented a total of 158 MMT of CO2 from being emitted in California as compared to 106 MMT of CO2 under federal regulations - almost 50 percent more.
• If the Pavley rules are implemented in all 50 states, by 2020 a cumulative total of 1283 MMT of CO2 will have been prevented from being emitted into the air compared to 912 MMT if only the proposed federal fuel economy standards were implemented-a difference of 41 percent.
• If the Pavley rules are implemented in Canada, by 2020 a cumulative total of 87 MMT of CO2 will have been prevented from being emitted as compared to 58 MMT of CO2 if only the proposed federal regulations were implemented.
For a copy of the report, click here.
