When California passed landmark climate legislation in 2008 to tackle climate change by targeting the way its residents drive and use other forms of transportation, it was the most ambitious such plan in the country.
In the nearly two decades since the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act was passed, researchers, policymakers and others have been able to draw many lessons from what hasn’t worked, such as an increasing number of people driving and creating more pollution, but also what might be worth emulating in other parts of the country.
New research from Northeastern University studies how state, regional and local officials in California work together toward emissions and other climate-focused targets. The research concludes that ambitious climate goals alone are not enough to reduce traffic-related emissions, and better collaboration between different levels of government is essential to reduce pollution.Related: Potomac spill cleanup relies on natural more than manmade processes
Serena Alexander, an associate professor of public policy and urban affairs as well as civil and environmental engineering who co-authored the study, says that “California is a good example because it represents one of the most ambitious multi-level climate governance experiments” in the US, especially when it comes to traffic mitigation to reduce greenhouse gases.
