Climate Change Policies

In addition to a portfolio of energy efficiency policies, many states are also implementing high-level strategies to combat global climate change. A number of states have established climate action plans, outlining general policy goals and a vision for a carbon constrained future. These plans typically guide legislative activity, but rarely carry any mandate or legal authority.

Another step taken by numerous states has been to take a statewide inventory of greenhouse gases emitted to or removed from the air over a period of time. Policymakers then use this information to track emission trends, develop mitigation strategies and policies, and assess progress.

Some states are beginning to put caps on major carbon polluters, either through statewide or regional initiatives. Ten states in the northeast have signed onto the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which requires entities in the power sector to purchase carbon allowances. The Western Climate Initiative Many states are in the process of creating emission targets in lieu of federal action, most notably seen in California, which has a mandate to reach 1990 greenhouse gas levels by 2020.