Global warming is one of the most important and farreaching environmental issues of the twenty-first century. In response to this threat, California authorized the first industrywide, mandatory cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases (“GHGs”) in the nation—the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (“Global Warming Solutions Act”). This law will establish a mandatory greenhouse-gas (“GHG”) reporting and registry system, require emission levels in 2020 to equal those in 1990, and allow market mechanisms to be used to achieve this target. Considering that California has blazed the path for past environmental policies, this law may prove to be very significant. For example, California passed clean-air legislation that led to the Federal Clean Air Act (“CAA”).5 However, other states must enact similar laws if the states wish to prompt federal action against the problem of global warming.
Florida is especially vulnerable to the effects of global warming. For instance, increasing temperatures caused by global warming will melt glacial ice, causing sea levels to rise and the coastline to move inland.8 States that act now to combat global warming will be better equipped to handle future federal legislation. Fortunately, there are economic as well as other benefits associated with curbing GHGs. Therefore, it is in Florida’s best interests to take proactive steps to reduce GHG emissions. It only just began this process in June 2006 by creating Florida’s Energy Commission to develop a climate-action plan. Later, Republican Governor Charlie Crist created the Florida Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change (“Action Team”) to develop Florida’s climate-action plan further.