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Fully-automated driverless vehicles will likely drastically change the way people and goods are transported, implicating land use and transportation. They would not only provide a convenient means of transportation to many, but also become an effective tool to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which account for a large portion of the total emissions in many jurisdictions throughout the world. To encourage the use of fully-automated driverless vehicles as such a tool, this article proposes several legal mechanisms that should be adopted in California. Although these legal mechanisms have been developed based primarily on existing California laws, countries and jurisdictions throughout the globe that wish to efficiently minimise transportation-related emissions should consider adopting these legal mechanisms because they can readily be adopted in various jurisdictions including those currently lacking a legal framework similar to California's. This article proposes these legalmechanisms primarily by examining existing California laws intended to reduce the transportation-sector emissions, including the California GlobalWarming Solutions Act of 2006, or Assembly Bill 32, and the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008, or Senate Bill 375, and the potential impacts that driverless vehicles would have on GHG emissions based on expert opinions and literature review. The legal mechanisms proposed in this article would serve as foundations on which a more comprehensive scheme of GHG emissions reduction measures related to fully-automated driverless vehicles can be developed as driverless vehicle technology further develops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article shares reflections about the climate change program of California. Topics discussed include the state's goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions under the 2006 Global Warming Solutions Act, the state's launch of a market-based cap-and-trade program, and the view that the federal government should follow California's model in terms of its climate change policy.

Cap-and-trade schemes are of tremendous interest in the current trends of climate law and policy. Taking into account Phase I and Phase II, the EU ETS directive has been reformed in 2009 and will establish a totally new Phase III starting from 2013 until 2020. The new system will propose a broader material scope, new forms of allocation of allowances, due attention to benchmark free allowances and careful measures to address carbon leakage. Furthermore, the directive sets new forms of market oversight and opens up for stronger relations with other compatible systems. On the other side of the Atlantic, the lack of a US federal cap-and-trade system has not prevented the creation of sub-national or regional cap-and-trade schemes. The Californian cap-and-trade final regulation represents the most interesting and most advanced scheme in the US. It has been eventually adopted in fall 2011 and is designed to reduce GHG emissions by 2020 through a market-based compliance system. The two systems show improvements to earlier forms of emissions trading, but still raise questions on the actual compatibility between each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The State of California is developing and implementing a new generation of environmental policies to transition to a low-carbon economy and energy system in order to reduce the risks of future damages from global climate change. At the same time, it is increasingly clear that climate change impacts are already occurring and that further effects cannot be completely avoided. Thus, anticipating and planning for emerging and potential future climate change impacts in California must complement the state's greenhouse gas mitigation efforts. These impacts will depend substantially on the future evolution of the state's social structure and economy. To support impact studies, this report describes socioeconomic storylines and key scenario elements for California that are broadly consistent with the global 'A2' and 'B1' storylines in the 2000 Special Report on Emissions Scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, including qualitative socioeconomic context as well as quantitative projections of key variables such as population, urbanization patterns, economic growth, and electricity prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the measures imposed in California to address climate change. It explores different policies in California such as The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and cap-and-trade program and states that their measures will need for coordinated strategies for it has broad set of goals. It adds that with California's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission they shown that effective national program for climate change will require leadership and immediate response.

The article examines the California Assembly Bill 1493. California is the first state in the U.S. to pass legislation directing its environmental protection agency to promulgate regulations establishing standards for greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles. The background of the 1493 bill regulations is presented including the beginnings of the many preemption challenges against which California must defend. The arguments for and against Clean Air Act, Energy Policy and Conservation Act, and foreign policy preemption are discussed. How and why each of the preemption challenges fails are also summarized.

The article discusses the role of state enforcement in addressing the greenhouse gas emissions and climate change issues in California. It highlights the effort of California in reducing the greenhouse gas emission It explores the challenges and risks posed by the enforcement of the cap-and-trade program.

The article reports on the 10-year, $600 million climate initiative that would make the California Institute for Climate Solutions. This is in line with fostering research so that the state can meet strict greenhouse gas emission limits which was enacted over the past 2 years. Michael Peevey, president of the state's public utilities commission (PUC), said that the commission is weighing a plan to finance it through a $1-a-month hike in electricity rates. Daniel Kammen, an energy policy expert at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, is said to view the institute as a way to translate climate goals in action.