In the effort to cut down on climate pollution, a recent setback came from California’s restaurants instead of the usual fossil fuel sources. Berkeley led the way by banning new gas pipelines in buildings in 2019 to reduce gas use, which makes up 9% of the state’s emissions. This ban aimed to slow down the growth of the gas system, which adds a new customer every minute across the country. Following Berkeley’s move, more than 100 cities and states did the same.
The California Restaurant Association (CRA) challenged Berkeley’s ban in court, saying it limited their cooking options and went against federal energy laws. After a long legal fight, the CRA won, and Berkeley canceled its ban in March 2023. The CRA saw this as a big win for chefs and restaurant owners.
Now, this legal win has encouraged a group of gas companies and their supporters to use it as a reason to challenge similar bans in the western U.S. This puts restaurants against climate experts who say cutting down on gas use in buildings is vital for stopping dangerous warming.
Some people see similarities between this fight and one in 1987 against indoor smoking bans. Back then, restaurant groups backed by the tobacco industry stopped health measures. Today, similar tactics are used, with claims that SoCalGas funded the CRA’s legal fees for the Berkeley case, even though the utility denies it.
Efforts to lower gas use face resistance from the CRA and the gas industry, who say these policies would cost more and could lead to power outages. Despite these challenges, some cities keep enforcing gas bans, and there are plans to phase out gas in new buildings.
Health and climate advocates worry that the tactics used to delay smoking bans will slow down efforts to fight climate change. Despite these setbacks, there’s progress, with some restaurant chains like Chipotle looking into electric kitchen designs to help with climate goals. But switching to electric options, like induction cooktops, is tough and expensive for many restaurants without financial help.
