Global Warming Solutions News

Fourth Annual Report Sees Improvement; Still “Back of the Class”

Concord—A regional Report Card released today by a coalition of environmental advocates in the New England and Eastern Canada gives New Hampshire a C- for its actions to reduce global warming pollution.  The state received a D+ in 2006 and a C- in 2005.  The improvement this year came mainly from passing key legislation to encourage cleaner energy sources and Governor Lynch’s commitment to issue an executive order to set up a task force to produce a climate action plan next year.

New Hampshire’s policy grade of a C- puts it in the unenviable position of last place of the six New England states and five Eastern Canadian provinces.

“Despite significant progress this year, New Hampshire continues to have the poorest record of action in the region, and has much to do,” said Doug Bogen, NH Program Director for Clean Water Action.  “We call on Governor Lynch’s Climate Change Task Force to come up with a strong action plan and to act quickly in coming years to address this critical issue.”

This year’s Report Card gauges how well the states and provinces are implementing global warming policies and also includes another grading category, based on whether the states and provinces are on track to meet the 2010 pollution reduction target.  New Hampshire received an F for the pollution reduction grade, and had the highest percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions among all states and provinces since 1990.

Most of the eleven states and provinces who are party to the 2001 regional agreement have seen a similar lack of sufficient action over the last few years.  Though there was a fairly wide variation in the global warming policy grades, New Hampshire and most other New England states all received Fs and except for Massachusetts with a C, none of the states or provinces received better than a D for the pollution reduction grades, since none are on track to meet their 2010 target.

In June of this year, all of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recommitted to the 2001 regional climate agreement (available at the NEGC website: http://www.negc.org/documents/NEG-ECP%20CCAP.PDF).  The agreement outlines global warming policies that the states and provinces should be implementing and commits the region to the following goals:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75-85% in the long-term

“To meet the goals of the 2001 agreement, the governors and premiers must act with greater urgency and redouble efforts to avoid global warming’s worst effects,” said Erika Staaf of Environment New Hampshire.  “Although New Hampshire state government received high grades for leading by example and establishing a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, the state has yet to make significant progress in reducing global warming pollution from the transportation sector and in establishing an overarching plan to reduce emissions from all sectors.”

Despite its relatively low grade, New Hampshire has begun to take important steps forward in reducing global warming emissions in the state, with 2007 passage of a Renewable

Electricity Standard and with updated building efficiency codes that meet strong international standards.

The House of Representatives considered a bill to set up a commission to produce a climate action plan this year, but it was retained in committee after failing to get enough votes during a poorly-attended emergency session of the House.  Governor Lynch has since stepped in to announce he would issue an executive order to set up a task force in the new year to establish a state climate action plan. 

In the upcoming legislative session, policy makers will also be considering legislation to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a 10-state program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants in the region by 10 percent by 2019.  Successful implementation of the program will both provide a process through which utilities can begin reduce global warming pollution, and will help to fund energy efficiency and conservation programs.

Key areas for improvement in the New Hampshire report card include:

• Establish a comprehensive plan that identifies the necessary timelines and emission reductions needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming.

• Adopt a clean cars standard or make significant investments in alternative transportation.

• Pass strong RGGI legislation next year to address power plant CO2 reduction.

• Establish a set of minimum efficiency standards for key appliances sold in the state.