Supported by nearly $2.6 million from California Climate Investments, the California Environmental Protection Agency is working with University of California researchers through the Transition to a Carbon-Neutral Economy program to carry out two studies that will help California reach its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. In particular, these studies will examine ways to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in California. The studies will also quantify air pollution and economic impacts for multiple greenhouse gas emissions reduction scenarios.
“[These studies are] the first to comprehensively evaluate a path to a carbon‑neutral transportation system for California by 2045 and find that such pathways are possible but will rely on extensive policy changes” says Austin Lannes Brown, Executive Director of the UC Davis Policy Institute. “The study also seeks to center important factors such as equity, health, and workforce impacts in the analysis because a transition to zero‑carbon transportation also needs to advance these goals.”
Each study is looking into different, but complementary questions:
The Driving California’s Transportation Emissions to Zero study, led by the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies, is identifying strategies that can significantly reduce transportation‑related fossil fuel demand and emissions. These strategies include transitioning to zero‑emission vehicles, accelerating the use of alternative fuel sources, and reducing vehicle miles traveled.
The Enhancing Equity While Eliminating Emissions in California's Supply of Transportation Fuels study, led by the University of California, Santa Barbara, is analyzing strategies to responsibly manage the decline of transportation‑related fossil fuel supply — namely production quotas, setbacks, and export restrictions.
Residents of disadvantaged communities stand to benefit from future policies informed by these studies. "One key finding of this study has to do with differences in pollution exposure between disadvantaged and other communities,” Professor David Lea of UC Santa Barbara explains. “It is well known that low‑income communities and communities of color are exposed to more pollution in California. But what is less known is what phasing out oil production will do to air quality. We document that there's an equity gain when oil production is phased out. As the state extracts less oil, more of the gains from improved air quality will be experienced by disadvantaged communities."