Politics & Government

UCLA Study Says Tackling Energy Efficiency, Climate Change Could Bring Economic Gains

The report "Los Angeles Solar and Efficiency Report: Atlas of Investment Potential for LA County," or LASER, was commissioned by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund and conducted by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.

UCLA released a study Wednesday that forecasts significant economic gains from tackling climate change and energy efficiency, as well as identifies areas in Los Angeles County that are prime candidates for funding from state environmental legislation.

The "Los Angeles Solar and Efficiency Report: Atlas of Investment Potential for LA County," or LASER, was commissioned by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund and conducted by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.

The report is divided into profiles of nine regions, each with maps identifying environmental health risk and vulnerability to climate change by census tract or zip code, opportunities for solar panel installation by parcel and the need for energy efficiency improvements by building.

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Regions profiled include the city of Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, north Los Angeles County, the Westside, the South Bay and the San Gabriel Valley.

Researchers say the study is geared at helping lawmakers figure out where to invest funding collected through state legislation aimed at greenhouse gas reduction, increasing the use of solar energy and improving energy efficiency.

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Sources of funding referred to in the study include Proposition 39's Clean Energy Job Creation Fund and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund under AB 32, as well as incentives from  local agencies like the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

State Assembly Speaker John Perez, who sponsored AB 1532, which calls for at least 25 percent of proceeds from cap-and-trade auctions to go toward "disadvantaged communities," attested to the usefulness of the study.

"California has become a global leader in combating climate change, due in part to innovative state policies and projects like the 'LASER' maps that provide us with a pathway to lower emissions and a more sustainable economy," he said.

Jorge Madrid of EDF said the study shows "the potential to invest in LA's clean, renewable energy economy and build healthier communities is huge."

"We hope these maps become an effective tool for local elected officials and community advocates as they look to seize those opportunities," Madrid said.

Temperatures in the Los Angeles area are predicted to get an average of 4 degrees to 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer by the middle of this century.

Eighty percent of buildings in the county were built prior to passage of energy efficiency building laws in 1978. That means about  1.5 million buildings could benefit from energy-efficiency retrofitting, according to the researchers.

Researchers also reported that 29,000 jobs would be created if just 5 percent of the county's energy was generated from rooftop photovoltaic arrays. A switch to 5 percent solar power would also cut carbon dioxide emissions each year by 1.25 million tons, or the equivalent of pollution from 250,000 cars, they said.

"Together, EDF and the Luskin Center have created a powerful resource that can help the LA region unlock a cleaner energy future," said the center's deputy director, Colleen Callahan. "Combined with California's innovative climate policies, the 'LASER' Atlas can impact how the region invests new state resources to address pressing environmental challenges while providing job opportunities in its most impacted communities."

- City News Service


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