Cap and Trade

February 19, 2013

CARB’s Nichols: Elections Have Consequences for Climate Change

CARB Chair Mary Nichols opened the VerdeXchange VX2013 conference in describing the ongoing California initiatives for cleaner air and more energy-efficient vehicles, including CARB’s cap-and-trade auction, the Plug-In-Vehicle Collaborative, a low-carbon fuel standard, and renewable energy mandates.

December 4, 2012

California Drops The Hammer On Inaugural Carbon Allowance Auction

In the following edited transcript, CARB chairwoman Mary Nichols reports the results of California’s first-ever carbon allowance auction, taking questions from the Sacramento Bee, the San Jose Mercury News, the San Francisco Chronicle, and others.

August 29, 2025

Mary Nichols on California’s Climate Legacy Amid a ‘1959 Rewind’

Former Chair of the California Air Resources Board and longtime national climate leader Mary Nichols reflects on the stakes for California as federal threats loom and the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program faces reauthorization. She addresses how today’s federal policy rollbacks could be characterized as a “1959 rewind” of social, environmental, and regulatory norms, warning that hard-won climate enactments could be undermined. Nichols also reflects on the durability of California’s cap-and-trade program, its linkage with Québec, and the lessons that should inform preparation for the next decade of public actions to facilitate both remediation and adaptation.

August 28, 2025

Senator Stern on Backing Regional Leaders’ Call for $3.3B Transit Investment from Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization

Senator Henry Stern calls for Southern California to secure a fair share of Cap-and-Trade revenues, pointing to the region’s heavy congestion, pollution, and transit needs. He outlines priorities including more frequent bus and rail service, upgrades to the G Line, and accelerating fleet electrification—all with an equity lens to ensure community benefits.