Exploring Leadership in California’s Environmental Policy Space

Abstract

California’s federal policymakers often consider their state to be an environmental policy leader. These policymakers see the state as a laboratory for innovative environmental policies to address a range of challenges including climate change, clean air, and water scarcity. Federal representatives who support these state policies then advocate for their adoption at the federal level. This capstone project explores the relationship between the State of California’s environmental policies and those of the federal government. The relationship is examined through interviews with federal and state policymakers as well as a renewable energy industry veteran who works with both federal and state governments. It is further explored through a capstone course plan that touches on water, energy, forest, and agriculture policies. The final capstone project provides recommendations to relevant federal officials on adoption of policies that facilitate increased use of desalination technology, development and deployment of new photovoltaic solar energy technologies, expansion of western wholesale energy markets, greater incentives for reforestation on marginal agricultural and grazing lands, and incorporation of greenhouse gas costs into energy markets.