California Invests Climate Funds in Forests, Natural and Working Lands
California 2014-15 budget makes historic investments in forests and other natural, working lands to reduce carbon emission and increase carbon storage to help achieve the state’s ambitious climate goals. The funding for these investments was generated by the auction of pollution allowances under the state’s cap and trade program created by AB 32.
Under the expenditure plan approved by the Legislature on Sunday evening, $42 million will flow to California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for a range of forest investments including protecting working forests, urban forestry, improving forest health and resilience, and programs to restore burned areas. In addition, the Department of Fish and Wildlife received $25 million for the conservation and restoration of watersheds and mountain meadows, as well as wetlands in the delta and along the coast. Agricultural lands received a further $30 million to support investments to decrease emissions.
PFT is thrilled that the Legislature and Administration included forests and other lands in this initial package of investments. Ensuring investment in our working lands to re-store carbon released through past management is one of PFT’s core goals. Our success here is due to the ongoing engagement and support of our constituents and partners. Forests are our single most effective mechanism for removing large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere. These investments will help forests continue to play a critical role in our climate strategy. Without ensuring the conservation and resilience of our forests we cannot solve our climate crisis.
A recent study commissioned by the Air Resources Board found that California’s forests, rangelands and chaparral areas are a far greater source of greenhouse gas emissions than previously thought. Driven by land use conversion (as well as natural processes like fire and mortality) annual emissions from natural and working lands have become the fourth largest source of emissions in California, exceeded only by transportation, electricity generation, and industrial sources.
Informed by this detailed new information on where carbon gains and losses are occurring, state agencies are slated to develop a Natural and Working Lands Investment Strategy in 2015 to further refine opportunities for action.
We look forward to working with the Air Resources Board, Department of Forestry, Natural Resources Agency, and the many other departments and stakeholders to help refine an investment strategy that harnesses the power of our forests and other natural lands to remove carbon from the atmosphere, while also addressing the ongoing conversion of forests to other uses.