California carbon emissions fell 9% in pandemic’s 1st year
By KATHLEEN RONAYNE
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s planet-warming emissions dropped by nearly 9% in 2020 compared to the year before. The reductions came as pandemic restrictions kept people at home. The data released Wednesday by the California Air Resources Board tracks with a similar nationwide drop in emissions. Officials are cautioning that the data can’t be used as a marker for future trends because the pandemic forced unprecedented yet temporary changes. Much of the reductions came from a steep drop in emissions from the transportation sector as people drove their cars less. The air board aims to end sales of most new gas-powered cars in the state by 2045.
