Emissions Law Benefits California

By Ed Joyce / Reporter, KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published September 17, 2008 at 12:38 PM PDT

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

The California Air Resources Board says efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 12 years ultimately will benefit the state's economy and save residents money. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce

The California Air Resources Board says efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 12 years ultimately will benefit the state's economy and save residents money. KPBS Environmental Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

The analysis shows the state's economy will grow at a faster rate than if the state did nothing to cut the emissions.

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The report also contradicts claims by business groups that global warming regulations will cost California state billions of dollars and send jobs out of state.

The Environmental Defense Fund's chief health scientist is John Balbus.

He says the board also looked at the health benefits.

Balbus: And what they found was across the state that they would anticipate a reduction of about 300 deaths and about 9,000 or so incidences of asthma exacerbation and respiratory symptoms.

He says less asthma attacks means fewer parents taking off work caring for kids - and that means reduced health care costs.

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Balbus says that's an added benefit from a law primarily aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.

Ed Joyce

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Ed Joyce was the environment reporter and afternoon news anchor for KPBS-FM. Before joining KPBS, he worked as an editor/columnist with Copley News Service in San Diego. Ed has an extensive background in newspaper, radio, web and TV journalism. After graduating with a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington in Seattle, Ed began a career in broadcast journalism. His work has included stints in public broadcasting, commercial broadcasting and education -- working as an affiliate professor of communication and reporter at the University of Idaho and Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. During the past 20 years he has worked in radio, TV and print as a news reporter, anchor, writer, editor and producer. Along the way he has won numerous awards for general news reporting, newswriting, feature and issue reporting and breaking news reporting from The Associated Press, The Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Press Club and other organizations. During the mid-1990s, while working for Oregon Public Broadcasting, he was a frequent contributor to National Public Radio, including a feature report on the memorial service for 14 U.S. Forest Service "hotshots" who died fighting a wildfire in Colorado (the crew was based in a central Oregon town). He’s also filed reports with Marketplace, KQED’s California Report and Climate Watch and with national and regional networks throughout the United States. At KPBS, Ed continues his contributions to National Public Radio and other national and regional news organizations. He has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and San Diego Press Club for his environmental reporting at KPBS-FM-TV and for producing and anchoring radio newscasts. In 2007 he was selected a National Press Foundation fellow for Understanding Violent Weather II program. The seminars were held at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla. In 2008 he spoke at a UC San Diego conference on U.S. National Security as part of the school’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. Ed led a discussion with the 18 foreign government officials and academics about the political debate over climate change. In 2010, Ed was elected to a three-year term on the board of the San Diego Press Club.

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