California is banning natural gas heaters and furnaces in a bid to lower their carbon emissions and reach their climate goals. They will be the first state in the U.S to impose such a ban.
The move comes after a proposal was unanimously approved by the California Air Resources Board, who are responsible for taking action to protect public health from the harmful effects of air pollution. The ban will be introduced in 2030, and it is hoped that the ban will set an example for the rest of the U.S, who will hopefully follow close behind. From this moment on, residents of the California state will only be able to purchase zero-emission appliances.
By 2045, California hopes that the state will have a carbon-free grid. Encouragingly, the state has also recently set new renewable-energy records earlier this year, with the state running off 97% renewable energy, surpassing the previous record of just over 96%.
The state also plans to sell no more gas cars by 2035, aligning with their ban on gas heaters and furnaces. Hopefully, the ban on gas cars will help to lower carbon emissions even further for the state of California.