Gov. Brown on Climate Policy: ‘You Need the Coercive Power of Gov’t to Say Do This’

Jerry Brown: ‘Never underestimate the coercive power of the central state’ (The Sacramento Bee)

One of the goals of Californians who traveled to Paris for climate talks this week was to showcase green-energy businesses that are succeeding in the state.

But on Monday it was the “coercive power” of government for which Gov. Jerry Brown was seeking credit.

Regulations, he said at an event with billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer at an art museum in the city, “work hand in glove” with innovation, forcing companies to adapt to cleaner technologies. Brown held out the introduction of the catalytic converter and the proliferation of renewable energy as examples of industry responding to regulation.