With the national discussion on climate change stalled (to say the least), California is now leading the way in addressing this important issue. Gov. Jerry Brown stunned many political observers January when he called for the Golden State to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels by as much as 50 percent in the next 15 years. Now, several bills are moving through the legislature that would increase California’s already impressive efforts.

Among these bills, perhaps the most important are Senate Bill 32, authored by Fran Pavley, and Senate Bill 350, authored by Senate President pro tem Kevin de Leòn. SB 32 sets an overarching climate pollution reduction target of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. SB 350 percent reduction in petroleum use in cars and trucks, a 50 percent increase in energy efficiency in buildings, and a goal of 50 percent of state utilities’ power coming from renewable energy, all by 2030. These might sound ambitious, but it’s important to understand that California is already well on its way toward meeting these goals, and many experts say that these targets are well within reach.

As readers of this blog have no doubt learned by now, global warming is expected to threaten 170 California birds with extinction by 2080, and expanding the state’s landmark carbon pollution laws is one of the best ways we have to protect our birds. Birds at risk include iconic species such as the Brown Pelican, Golden Eagle, Allen’s Hummingbird, and Yellow-billed Magpie.

It’s important to understand that carbon pollution is also a major threat to environmental health – and public health. It harms the health of birds and other wildlife, degrades habitat, and detracts from the beautiful outdoor spaces that are so closely associated with California.

But this is more than just a bird issue, it’s a public health issue. Audubon California wants clean and healthy air for all Californians, especially children, to keep them playing outside and enjoying the wildlife and open spaces we work to protect. But California is falling short of that goal. According to the American Lung Association:

• 30 million Californians (77% of the population) live in counties that received a failing grade for air pollution from the American Lung Association.
• Nine California cities appeared among the top-ten most polluted metropolitan areas in the United States for ozone and particulate pollution (Bakersfield, El Centro, Fresno, Hanford-Visalia, Los Angeles, Modesto-Merced, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area).
• Air pollution in the Central Valley not only harms humans and wildlife, but it may also reduce the economic value of agriculture.