California is in focus in the fight with global warming

US. state California is the world's eighth largest economy, the most populous state of the USA, and meanwhile the 12th largest producer of greenhouse gases in the World.

California, on the other hand, have a rich tradition of environmentalism. As the former home of the hippie revolution, California's lawmakers seem to be aware of the importance of their natural heritage, even when they have to defend it against federal interests. California has set the agenda for clean air, clean water and other health standards, that now are the norms in the whole US. It was also the first, to ban smokers out of bars, order tailpipe smog checks, put warnings on beer bottles and allow hybrid cars driving in carpool lanes, even when their driver is alone.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently endorsed California's strategy to regulate greenhouse gases from vehicles. That validates the state's claim that the emissions should be classified as air pollutants over the objections of the Bush administration.

This means, that - if the Environmental Protection Agency gives California the right to set the standard limits of auto emissions, a decision, which is expected later in 2007 - at least a dozen other states will immediately follow the new rules.

Meanwhile, another new law is being prepared, that would judge the value of electricity based on the emission levels of the power plant creating it. The revolutionary idea also includes a bar for state institutions to buy electricity from out-of-state coal plants, that don't meet the emission standards set by the lawmakers. Coal produces more carbon dioxide, than any other fossil fuel source, and so emission of coal plants - especially old-fashioned ones - are still a major source of greenhouse gases.

Last fall, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation - written originally by Democrats - that imposed the first statewide cap on greenhouse gases, garnering worldwide attention for a move that put California at odds with the Bush administration. According to the new law, the state will reduce emissions by an estimated twenty-five percent by 2020, which adds up a yearly 174 million metric tons.

"What we do in California has unbelievable impact and it has consequences," said the governator to an audience at Georgetown University this spring. "When you look at the globe, California is a little spot, but the kind of power and influence that we have on the rest of the world is an equivalent of a whole huge continent."