Gary Gero, President of Climate Action Reserve, discusses his organization's work drafting carbon offset protocols for the California Air Resources Board's cap-and-trade program.
Gary Gero is president of Climate Action Reserve, an LA-based nonprofit that has drafted four protocols adopted by CARB to evaluate businesses seeking to sell carbon offsets in California’s newly established cap-and-trade program. In advance of Climate Reserve’s 11th annual “Navigating the American Carbon World” conference, held in San Francisco April 16-18, Gero provides The Planning Report with a comprehensive look at the role of offsets in the carbon market, from how they are created and measured, to their ability to boost both profits and employment.
Gero additionally details the framework through which the public may measure the success of the cap-and-trade program, noting that a successful program works by, "setting a price on carbon that actually motivates the reduction of emissions—because the ultimate goal of the program is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—but does so in a way that is protective of our economy and that actually helps build toward a new cleaner economy."
FULL STORY: Climate Action Reserve’s Gary Gero: Navigating the American Carbon Market
California Cap-And-Trade Surprise: Cash Flows Out-of-State to Reduce Emissions
California industries are buying offsets in lieu of purchasing carbon allowances or reducing carbon emissions, and most of the offsets are spent out-of-state, assisting the recipients economically as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
California Carbon Offset Program Judged Effective by Stanford University Study
The new study determined that carbon forestry offsets, which allow polluters to reduce carbon emissions out-of-state rather than in impacted communities near large pollution sources, is a beneficial climate program.
California Cap-and-Trade Overhaul and Extension Emphasizes Dividend and Equity
While California cap-and-trade survived a legal challenge last month, a haze still surrounds the program. Carbon permit sales are low, and the program's longevity is threatened after 2020. A new bill was introduced to transform the program.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
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The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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