A Canadian Rendezvous for California Cap-and-Trade

California's cap-and-trade program is barely five months old, and already it's expanding its horizons. Officials announced last week that the program is merging with one operated in the Canadian province of Quebec.

April 24, 2013, 9am PDT | Jonathan Nettler | @nettsj

"The California Air Resources Board on Friday linked its program for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and curbing climate change with one in the French-speaking, Canadian province of Quebec," reports Marc Lifsher. Beginning on January 1 of next year, pollution permits can be traded between the two programs.

"Last fall, California emitters began purchasing the permits quarterly at state-supervised auctions. The free-market mechanism, authorized by the state's landmark global-warming law, AB 32, puts a price on carbon-dioxide pollution. Expanding the program to Quebec creates a laboratory for broadening the trading system to other U.S. states, Canadian provinces and nations, said Dave Clegern, an Air Resources Board spokesman."

"But skeptics say they're unimpressed with California's program and its new partner," notes Lifsher.

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Cap-and-trade programs in California and Quebec to merge

Published on Monday, April 22, 2013 in The Los Angeles Times