California's top greenhouse gas regulator will go to Australia next month to discuss the state's cap-and-trade system with other governments, including those of China and the European Union.

Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols will attend the World Bank Partnership for Market Readiness meeting Oct. 24 in Sydney, agency staff said last week. The partnership includes the United States, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and other governments that contribute funds to countries developing market-based greenhouse gas systems, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico.

Nichols will speak at a post-conference session titled "Sharing Views: Vision for a Future Global Carbon Market" that will also tentatively include China, the European Union, Chile and Australia.

Australian officials, whose carbon pricing system went into effect in July with a fixed carbon tax of 23 Australian dollars ($23.85) per ton for about 300 of its largest polluters, have recently expressed interest in linking with California's system, set to start with an inaugural auction of carbon credits this November. Australia plans to move to an emissions trading system in 2015 (ClimateWire, Sept. 27).

ARB spokesman Dave Clegern said Nichols would meet with Australian officials "to look at the development and progress of their program (comparing notes)."

Calif. governor signs cap-and-trade revenue bills

Gov. Jerry Brown (D) took a step yesterday to distribute the proceeds from the state's cap-and-trade auctions, which could reach billions of dollars per year through 2020. He signed A.B. 1532, by state Assembly Speaker John Perez (D), which creates a framework for spending the money. The state Department of Finance and the Air Resources Board will write three-year investment plans and submit them to the state Legislature.

Brown also signed S.B. 535 by state Sen. Kevin De Leon (D), which reserves 25 percent of the proceeds for projects that help communities with low income, high unemployment, low levels of homeownership or other economic disadvantages.

It also sets aside 10 percent for projects that are actually located within those disadvantaged communities. The 10 percent can overlap with the 25 percent but does not have to, according to the Greenlining Institute, which advocates for disadvantaged communities.

Environmental groups hailed the bills yesterday, as did farming groups that supported them. Perez's bill includes projects that reduce emissions from water use and supply, agriculture, land management and forestry as potential recipients of the money.

"Auction proceeds can boost California's clean energy economy, encourage in-state investment and create jobs while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Erica Morehouse, staff attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund.

"Our state's farmers and ranchers are among the most vulnerable to the water scarcity, extreme weather events and new pests and diseases that climate change is bringing," said Renata Brillinger, executive director of the California Climate and Agriculture Network. "The governor took action today to ensure that California agriculture has the needed resources to tackle climate change."