Governor To Sign Climate Change Bill

California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. explains his budget proposal doing a press conference at the California State Capitol in Sacramento on Thursday, January 10, 2013. Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his proposed state budget for the year that begins July 1.

(KMJ) – Wednesday, Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign an ambitious climate-change measure to increase California’s renewable electricity use to 50 percent and double energy efficiency in existing buildings by 2030.

The governor and Democratic legislative leaders wanted to include a provision in the bill to cut petroleum use by half, but they met fierce opposition from the oil lobby.

Brown characterized the loss as a short-term setback and said the state will continue to cut oil use through regulatory action.

California is already on target to generate at least a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

The signing of the bill authored by Democratic state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon will take place in Los Angeles.