Cooperative federalism recognizes that states are best positioned to balance environmental goals with the practical realities of keeping the lights on. A few states are showing the way.
While the language is not a mandate, officials hope that it will set a standard and reaffirm how imminent the climate crisis is. Currently just 1.3 percent of cars on state roads are electric powered.
The Environmental Defense Fund found that under existing state policies, the state will reach neither its goal of reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2025 nor 50 percent reduction by 2030.
Gov. Jim Justice and a majority of the state’s congressional leaders have submitted a proposal to participate in the federal competition for the development of a hydrogen hub. The gas is considered a key in combating climate change.
As gas prices increase, supply chains are delayed and the auto industry moves toward all-electric options, it’s not always clear when or if the long-term savings will outweigh the upfront costs of an EV or hybrid vehicle.
There are 150 zero-energy, nonresidential buildings in the U.S., an increase of more than 350 percent since 2011. Officials expect that these high-efficiency, low carbon-emission buildings will be the norm by 2050.
California got the ball rolling, working to keep organic materials out of landfills by issuing regulations and using technologies that can turn them into an energy source and carbon sink. Now, other states are joining in.
The California county will do an environmental review of a local oil producer’s plan to capture carbon. The project could bury more than 1 million metric tons of CO2 annually, the equivalent of taking 200,000 passenger vehicles off the road.
Research from Carnegie Mellon University shows how replacing short car trips with bike and scooter trips can lead to less congestion, but local areas need more micromobility infrastructure for this positive outcome.
One of the state’s three nuclear plants will shut down this spring but climate activists worry that removing a major supplier from the power grid will impede the state’s ability to reach its 2050 carbon neutrality goals.
The state’s electricity generators released 85.3 million tons of carbon dioxide last year, the highest levels since 2016. While the nation saw an increase in power sector carbon emissions, Pennsylvania was worse than average.
A sea level scientist explains the two main ways climate change is threatening the coasts.
Some members of the group warned that the latest plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions will not be enough to meet Gov. John Bel Edwards’ goal of net-zero by 2050. The plan’s approval deadline is Feb. 1.
Newly released research points to the need to both electrify the transportation sector and make cities less car dependent if there’s any hope of curtailing the worst effects of climate change.
The Transportation Commission hopes the new rules will encourage the state to not only get more EVs on the roads but also to improve other transportation options. The plan goes into effect on Feb. 14.
If the current reduction rate continues, the state will achieve its 2030 goal in 2063. The state will need to more than double its yearly cuts in emissions to meet the original target.
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