Climate Solutions and Sustainable Prosperity from the Bioeconomy: The Case of California

California is pursuing ambitious climate goals that include significant reductions in the state’s annual C02 emissions. Decarbonizing energy production is a core component of that strategy, and while the share of renewable electric power is increasing, the transport sector energy is still dominated by fossil fuels. California currently produces an annual flow of more than 50 million metric tons (MMT) of waste biomass per year (Figure 1), the volume of which is rapidly accelerating because of efforts to contain the state’s wildfire emergency. A number of important bioenergy innovations can convert these biomass liabilities into assets for more sustainable, inclusive growth across the state. California climate initiatives also light a path for others to help reduce global climate risk.