California Passes Aggressive Climate Plan To Decrease Oil Demand By 94%

California has passed an aggressive new climate plan to decrease demand for petroleum by 94% and reach carbon neutrality by 2045.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced the plan Thursday. The state aims to reduce the state's fossil fuel usage to less than a tenth of its current consumption. The goal is to decrease demand for oil by 94% by 2045 and encourage the primary use of electric vehicles.

California also intends to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 85% below 1990 levels, reduce smog-forming air pollution by 71%, create 4 million new jobs and save residents approximately $200 billion in health costs caused by pollution by 2045.

Data presented in the plan shows that air pollution accounted for about 1,300 tons of nitrogen dioxide per day in 2020. By 2045, the plan proposes to reduce that output to 400 tons daily.

"Implementing this plan will achieve deep decarbonization of our entire economy, protect public health, provide a solid foundation for continued economic growth, and drastically reduce the state's dependence on fossil fuel combustion. It will clear the air in our hardest-hit communities," said CARB Chair Liane Randolph.

"Now begins the hard work of putting the plan into action. The impacts of climate change in California are personal: we have all been affected by wildfires, years of drought, or record-breaking heat waves." Randolph said. "There is no time to waste."

CARB's goals align with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's $54.1 billion climate action plan, which aims to accelerate the state's transition to clean energy.

"To reach carbon neutrality in less than a quarter of a century will require all levels of government, all stakeholders – indeed, everyone in the Golden State to be part of the solution," Randolph wrote.

Carbon neutrality, also known as net zero carbon, refers to the balance between the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere and the amount removed from it. This can be achieved by reducing the amount of CO2 emitted through renewable energy and other emission-reducing measures, such as reforestation, carbon capture, and storage.

The importance of carbon neutrality in relation to climate change lies in the fact that CO2 is a major greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, is a significant source of CO2 emissions, and reducing these emissions is essential to mitigate the impacts of climate change.