"Today, we wake up as strangers in a foreign land," began the somber speech prepared by California's top Democrats after Trump's win.

This profile of Sacramento's gathering response is really worth the read. Notably, the state is confident the law will continue to allow them to go out in front of rolled-back EPA regulations, and Jerry Brown's lieutenants are convinced the grizzled governor will attack climate change with a referendum soon.

"He has every incentive to do it,” says Gavin Newsom. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime to strengthen his legacy on the existential issue of our time.”

It's not surprising that California has asked the country to tax carbon pollution. You may also have heard the Rex Tillerson, incoming secretary of state, supports a price on carbon; the weight behind his declarations is questionable, but the National Review sees him as positively green. Elon Musk, friend of Peter Thiel, also promotes the policy.

But while think-tank Republicans propose swapping corporate taxes for a carbon price, the reality is that most Republicans are bound by pledges not to add new taxes. 

California, like the rest of the nation, has sputtered on reaching electric vehicle goals. Unlike the rest of the country, it is taking proactive steps to fix what's wrong. These include allowing utilities to build charging stations, directing subsidies towards lower income brackets, and targeting heavy industry applications.

Los Angeles and San Francisco are leading the charge by making a huge order of EVs for their municipal fleets.