Dust swirls in the air at a cement factory on the outskirts of Redding as mud-caked tires travel along a wide conveyor belt. The tires are carried up 90 feet
An outsized source of greenhouse gases, California cement companies are trying creative climate solutions to meet mandates. But they are seeking state help.
Natural carbon sinks can help mitigate climate change, but climate risks like increased wildfire threaten forests’ capacity to store carbon. California has recently set ambitious forest management goals to reduce these risks. However, management can incur carbon losses because wood residues are often burnt or left to decay. This study applies a systems approach to assess climate change mitigation potential and wildfire outcomes across forest management scenarios and several wood products. We find that innovative use of wood residues supports extensive wildfire hazard reduction and maximizes carbon benefits. Long-lived products that displace carbon-intensive alternatives have the greatest benefits, including wood building products. Our results suggest a low-cost pathway to reduce carbon emissions and support climate adaptation in temperate forests.
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At the same time, California has signaled its objective of helping to drive broader decarbonization of industrial supply chains beyond its borders with the passage of the Buy Clean California Act. Under this policy, state agencies will take embodied supply chain carbon emissions into account when they buy steel, glass and mineral wool insulation for buildings. Leading private sector companies are driving greater sustainability in their supply chains as well.
Now, California has yet another opportunity to take the lead. As the state decarbonizes its grid, transportation and housing, it can also decarbonize an additional industrial supply chain – that of solar energy itself.