"Appeals court upholds California climate change law", 21 Jan. 2019

A U.S. appeals court has rejected a challenge by the oil and gas industry to a piece of California's efforts to fight climate change.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals [on 18 January] voted 3-0 to uphold the state's 2015 low carbon fuel standard requiring fuel producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

State officials recently amended the standard to mandate a 20% reduction by 2030 in the carbon output of fuels used for transportation in California.

Fuel producers argued the standard discriminates against some producers, Kallanish Energy reports.

The 9th Circuit previously rejected a similar challenge. It said Friday California had attempted to address a vitally important environmental issue.

A spokeswoman for the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association said lawyers were reviewing the decision.