AB 32 and Climate Change: The National Context of State Policies for a Global Commons Problem

Because climate change is a global problem, climate change policies should involve the highest levels of effective government. However, absent effective action at the national or international levels, some states and regions are enacting subnational climate change policies. This article examines the positive, negative, and benign interactions of state policies such as California’s AB 32 with federal policies, and explores whether such policies can provide an impetus for further action at the federal level.