As world leaders prepare to meet in Copenhagen
to develop a plan of action to combat global warming, all eyes are on the United
States. As the world’s largest economy, the
second-largest emitter of global warming pollution, and the nation responsible
for more of the human-caused carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere than
any other, the success of the Copenhagen
negotiations – and the future of the planet – depend on American leadership.
The United States
has gained a reputation, exacerbated during the presidency of George W. Bush,
of obstructionism in the fight against global warming. But, over the last
decade, America’s
state governments – where the bulk of on-the-ground energy policy
decision-making is made in America’s
federal system of government – have taken the nation on a different course, one
of innovative and increasingly aggressive action to reduce global warming
pollution.
The impact of
state-level actions to reduce global warming pollution is significant on a
global scale. A review of dozens of individual state policies, federal
policies based on state models, and new federal policies in which states will
have key roles in implementation suggests that state actions will reduce carbon
dioxide emissions by approximately 536
million metric tons by 2020. That is more global warming pollution than is
currently emitted by all but eight of the world’s nations, and represents
approximately 7 percent of U.S.
global warming pollution in 2007.
America’s
clean energy revolution – led by the states – shows that the nation is ready to
commit to the emission reductions science tells us are necessary to prevent the
worst impacts of global warming. President Obama should build on these actions
by working to forge a strong international agreement to address global warming
during the Copenhagen talks.
In America’s federal system of government, states
matter.
·
State governments have an
important – often primary – role in setting environmental and energy policy in
the United States.
States have the power to limit carbon dioxide emissions, to regulate electric
and natural gas utilities, to adopt standards for the energy performance of
buildings and equipment, to regulate land use and transportation policy and, on
a limited basis, to establish emission standards for vehicles.
·
Over the past decade, states have
begun to employ their power to reduce global warming pollution in a variety of
ways. As “laboratories of democracy,” states have developed innovative policies
to address global warming that have later been adopted by other states, or at
the federal level.
Six U.S. states, and one U.S. region, have adopted enforceable caps on
global warming pollution.
·
Six U.S.
states – California, Connecticut,
Hawaii, Massachusetts,
Maryland and New
Jersey – have adopted binding caps on global warming
pollution from their states’ economies. Combined, these six states produce
nearly a quarter of America’s
economic output and 13 percent of its fossil fuel-related carbon dioxide
emissions. If these six states were a separate country, they would rank as the
world’s fifth-biggest economy and seventh-leading emitter of carbon dioxide.
·
Collectively, these six states
have committed to reducing global warming pollution by approximately 13 percent
below 2005 levels by 2020.
·
Ten northeastern U.S.
states have created a regional cap-and-trade system for emissions from electric
power plants, and two other regions of the country are considering similar
regional efforts.
·
State and regional emission caps
will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 113 million metric tons below 2005
levels by 2020, and by approximately 270 million metric tons versus what
emissions otherwise would have been under business-as-usual conditions.
Dozens of U.S. states have adopted clean energy policies
designed to reduce global warming pollution.
·
Renewable electricity standards: 29 states have adopted minimum
standards requiring a percentage of their electricity to come from renewable
energy. These efforts will reduce global warming pollution by 79 million metric
tons nationwide, in addition to the reductions achieved by emission caps.
·
Energy efficiency resource standards: 22 states have adopted
policies that require a share of their energy needs to be met through energy
efficiency improvements. These energy efficiency standards will deliver
additional reductions of approximately 67 million metric tons of carbon dioxide
by 2020.
·
Other actions: States have also pursued other innovative clean
energy initiatives, such as low-carbon fuel standards designed to reduce the
impact of transportation fuels on global warming, and “lead by example” efforts
to reduce energy consumption and pollution from government activities.
State actions have
triggered recent steps to reduce global warming pollution at the federal level.
·
The Clean Cars Program – originally adopted by 14 states and now in the
process of adoption at the federal level – will dramatically reduce per-mile
emissions of global warming pollution from vehicle tailpipes. The national
program will reduce emissions by approximately 31 million metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent by 2020 in
states without economy-wide emission caps.
·
The federal government is in the
process of issuing new appliance and
lighting efficiency standards, following up on standards adopted by 14
states. Should those standards take full advantage of the potential for energy
efficiency improvements, they will reduce emissions by as much as 61 million
metric tons by 2020.
·
States have also pioneered the
adoption of strong building energy codes,
which will become more widespread as a result of the recent federal economic
recovery package. Improved building energy codes will reduce emissions by
approximately 12 million metric tons by 2020, with those emission reductions
locked in for decades to come.
·
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes several new
federal energy efficiency initiatives in which state and local governments will
have prominent roles in implementation. Programs already funded under the law
can be expected to reduce emissions by approximately 10 million metric tons per
year by 2020.
State efforts to
encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy are already making a material
difference in reducing global warming pollution.
·
Energy efficiency programs
implemented by utilities, typically at the behest of state regulators, averted
approximately 37 million metric tons of global warming pollution in 2007.
·
Similarly, the growth in renewable
energy generation between 2004 and 2009 – much of it driven by state policy
initiatives, including renewable electricity standards, and federal tax
incentives – averted the release of approximately 44 million metric tons of
carbon dioxide pollution in 2009.
America’s track record of state energy policy innovation and the broad support
of the American people for a transition to a clean energy economy suggest that America is ready to make a strong commitment to do
its part to reduce global warming pollution.
·
President Obama should lead the
way in negotiating an international agreement that will deliver sufficient
emission reductions to prevent an increase in global average temperatures of
more than 2° C (3.6° F) above pre-industrial levels – a commitment that would
enable the world to avoid the most damaging impacts of global warming.
·
The United
States should commit to emission reductions
equivalent to a 35 percent reduction in global warming pollution from 2005
levels by 2020 and an 83 percent reduction by 2050, with the majority of
near-term emission reductions coming from the U.S.
economy.
·
Individual states should move
forward with effective implementation of policies already adopted while
continuing to shift toward a clean energy economy and aggressively reducing
global warming pollution.
