A new report has revealed that California greenhouse gas emissions dropped more than 2% in 2022, coinciding with a rise in electric vehicle ownership in the state.
The California Air Resources Board report that released Friday indicated that emissions were 2.4% — or 9.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide — lower in 2022 than the year before.
That drop is equivalent to taking more than 2.2 million gasoline-powered cars off California’s roads for a year, the board says.
The shocking drop in emissions is an encouraging sign for a state desperate to solve its air quality crisis, officials say.
“The numbers are clear: our world-leading regulations are reducing emissions, spurring innovation, and bringing us closer to achieving our climate goals,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “A future with clean air and a vibrant economy is possible and California is leading the way.”
Officials tied the drop in emissions to sharp economic growth in California. According to the report, emissions fell by 20% while California’s gross domestic product increased by 78% during a two year span from 2020 to 2022.
“California is proving that climate action goes hand-in-hand with economic growth. We’ve slashed carbon pollution by a whopping 20% since the turn of the century all while building the world’s fifth largest economy. Cleaner air, more good jobs – that’s the California way,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The trend is expected to continue. In the second quarter of 2024, 118,181 zero-emission vehicles were purchased in the state, good for about one-quarter of all new car sales.
“California has a plan to achieve its emission targets and the data show that the programs we put in place – which include increasing the use of clean fuels and making the switch to zero-emissions technology across sectors – are working,” said Steven Cliff, CARB’s executive officer. “California will continue to strengthen its programs to ensure that we are meeting our ambitious and urgent goals to achieve carbon neutrality and a clean air future.”
Recent studies have shown that California has some of the worst air quality in the country. As a result, the state’s government has put its foot on the accelerator of the electric vehicle push.
In April, Newsom announced the state had one electric fast charging station for every five gas stations — and that gap is expected to close as part as a multi-billion dollar investment plan.
