California Climate Change Institute.

The existing California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the State Air Resources Board (state board) to adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of emissions of greenhouse gases and to monitor and enforce compliance with the reporting and verification program, and requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020. The act requires the state board to adopt rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reductions. This bill would create the California Climate Change Institute to (A) identify and support, through a merit-based peer-reviewed competitive grant process, research and education to be undertaken at academic and research institutions and laboratories throughout the state, (B) oversee, coordinate, and manage a nonduplicative, targeted research and development program for the purposes of achieving the state's targets for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and mitigating the effects of those emissions, (C) develop effective model education pathways, training, model curriculum, and professional development necessary for emerging green technologies and industries, and (D) ensure that its climate change research is conducted in a manner that is targeted and nonduplicative of other research programs. The bill would make implementation of its provisions subject to sufficient funds being appropriated by the Legislature for its purposes.