While Governor Jerry Brown has been taking on a larger role in the global fight against climate change, back in California he’s working to get the state’s cap-and-trade program renewed. The program, which limits carbon emissions and requires polluters to buy allowances for greenhouse gas emissions, is set to expire in 2020 if state lawmakers can’t agree on terms of an extension. Early reports signal that Gov. Brown has been able to build consensus on a deal that goes lighter on the oil industry — a move that’s drawn criticism from environmentalist groups. In this segment, Forum discusses the cap-and-trade deal and looks at the future of California’s environmental policy.
Guests:
Guy Marzorati, California politics and government reporter, KQED
Michael Wara, associate professor of law, Stanford University