Climate Policy Program Bulletin Presented by: 7th Generation Advisors and the New America Foundation .

Climate Policy Program Bulletin

Presented by:

7th Generation Advisors and the New America Foundation

www.seventhgenerationadvisors.orgwww.newamerica.net

From the Director…As a prelude to a federal policy, the U.S. states are leading the way in building a U.S.climate change and clean energy policy from the ground up.

This bulletin will be telling the story of these states. It will showcase the importantstate work that has occurred in the past few years to fight climate change and reducegreenhouse gas emissions and it will highlight the building blocks the states use tocreate a comprehensive de facto national Climate Action Program. State climate actionpolicies not only provide examples and lessons learned that are helpful to other states,but they serve as a blueprint for our current federal government to follow in order to makethe United States an international leader on climate change.

-- Terry TamminenCEO / Founder, Seventh Generation Advisors

Director of the Climate Policy Program, New America Foundation

Introduction

•Now is the Time•GHG Emissions

Reduction Targets

States Case Study

International Federal Regional

Now is the Time

Because the United States

is one of the largest emitters

of greenhouse gases

(GHGs), the world needs a

comprehensive U.S.

national program to address

GHG emissions to avoid

passing critical tipping

points.

0102030405060708090

100

Population%

GHGEmissions

%

UnitedStates

World

1

GHG Emissions Reduction Targets

It is now widely accepted by both thescientific community and mostgovernments that GHG emissionsmust decline to stabilize the world’sclimate at no more than a 2 degreeCentigrade temperature increase.

To meet this objective it requires that

global GHG emissions must be cut

back to at least:

1990 levels by 2020

80% below that by 2050

GHG reduction targets must be

established to meet these goals.

2

Introduction

States

•Why the States?•Strength in Numbers

•Building Blocks•A De Facto National

Climate Action Plan•Plans into Action

Case Study

International Federal Regional

Why the States?

=

Other nations are more likely to reduce their own GHGs when the United States is taking action, even when that action is at the

subnational rather than the national level.

Strength in NumbersCurrently:

22 states have set GHGreduction targets

32 states have completed orare in the process of completing Climate Action Plans

33 states are participants orobservers in a regional cap and trade program

“The science is clear. The debate is over. The time

for action is now. California will reduce emissionsto their 1990 levels by 2020 and an additional 80%by 2050.” – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger June 1, 2005

3

Building Blocks“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

—Antoine de Saint-Exupery

There are specific “building blocks” that a state needs to implementto develop a comprehensive Climate Action Program that actuallydelivers results.

1. Measure, Register, Verify2. Emissions Reduction Targets 3. Climate Action Plans

a) Transportation and Land Use Policiesb) Renewable Portfolio Standardsc) Energy Efficiency Policiesd) Market Based Systems

A De Facto National Climate Action Plan

Many states have taken action by developing thorough climate action plans, one state at

a time, creating a de facto national climate action plan.

Completed climate action plans or equivalentHave plans underway

32 states have Climate Action Plans

Plans into Action

States that have adopted:

(Clockwise from top right) Emissions Reductions Targets,

Renewable Portfolio Standards,

Vehicle Emission Standards Codified one or more GHG emissions targets in state lawDeclared GHG emissions targets via executive order or other means

States with Renewable Portfolio Standards

States Adopting California Vehicle Emission Standards

Introduction StatesCase Study

•Merit in Minnesota•Minnesota: Future Predictions

International Federal Regional

Merit in Minnesota “Minnesota is on track to reach the goal stipulated in its Green Solutions Act of 2008 of

reducing greenhouse gas emissions 15% below 2005 levels by 2015. That's roughly equivalent to reaching 1990 levels of emissions by 2015 – five years ahead of President

Obama‘s current goal.” -- David Sassoon, Founder, Science First

In a January 2009 progressreport submitted to the MinnesotaLegislature by the state'sDepartment of Commerce and itsPollution Control Agency, it wasstated that greenhouse gasemissions reached a peak andare starting to decline inMinnesota. 4

Minnesota: Future Predictions

It is likely that Minnesota’s emissions will continue to decline because of these three reasons:

• Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) : Requires the state's utility companies to dedicate a portion of their revenues for projects that reduce the consumption of electricity and natural gas.

• Renewable Energy Standard : Established in 2001, Minnesota now ranks No. 4 in the nation in installed wind capacity. By 2020, Xcel, the state's largest utility, must deliver 30% of its power from clean sources; other utilities must deliver 20%.

• Metropolitan Emissions Reduction Project (MERP) : The program makes it easier for utilities to retire, replace, or improve dirty coal-burning power plants and thereby substantially reduce emissions by allowing utilities to propose emissions reductions projects to the state.

5

6

7

Introduction States Case Study

International FederalRegional

•Regional Carbon

Trading Systems•Complete List of Participants

and Observers

Regional Carbon Trading Systems

Western Climate Initiative (WCI) 8

Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord (MGGRA) 9

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) 10

8

Complete List of Participants and Observers

Western Climate Initiative Regional Greenhouse

Gas Initiative

Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord

*Alaska

Arizona

*Baja California

British Columbia

California

*Chihuahua

*Coahuila

*Colorado

*Idaho

*Kansas

Manitoba

Montana

*Nevada

New Mexico

*Nuevo Leon

Ontario

Oregon

Quebec

*Saskatchewan

*Sonora

*Tamaulipas

Utah

Washington

*Wyoming

Connecticut

Delaware

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

*New Brunswick

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

*Ontario

*Pennsylvania

*Quebec

Rhode Island

Vermont

Iowa

Illinois

*Indiana

Kansas

Manitoba

Michigan

Minnesota

*Ohio

*Ontario

*South Dakota

Wisconsin

*Asterix denotes observer status, as opposed

to active participants

Introduction States Case Study

International

Federal•If 20 Leadership States With

Climate Plans Achieve Their Targets…•If All 50 States Achieve the Targets

Set by 20 Leadership States…•The Role of the Federal Government

•The Federal Government

Working with the States•Federal-State Partnership

•President Obama’s

Address to Congress

Regional

If 20 Leadership States With Climate Plans Achieve Their

Targets…

11

If All 50 States Achieve the Targets

Set by 20 Leadership States…

12

The Role of the Federal Government

“My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process... We’ll establish strong annual targets that set us on a course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them an additional 80% by 2050.”

– President-Elect Barack Obama / November 18, 2008 Governors’ Global Climate Summit / Beverly Hills, CA

13

The Federal Government Working with the States

On February 21, 2009, 12 governors and President BarackObama’s top energy and environment cabinet officials met todiscuss a federal-state partnership on clean energy and climatechange issues. 14

Federal – State Partnership

Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggeremphasized the importance ofmeeting with President Obama’senergy and environment officials forthe federal-state partnership bystating:

“Today’s meeting was the firststep in creating a close and lastingpartnership with President Obamaand his administration on climatechange.” -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger February 21, 2009

Federal Cap & Trade

Federal Policies &Measures

States Policies & Measures

President Obama’s Address to Congress

Energy and the environment were key

issues in President Obama’s Address

to Congress on February 24, 2009.

“But to truly transform our economy,protect our security, and save our planetfrom the ravages of climate change, weneed to ultimately make clean, renewableenergy the profitable kind of energy. So Iask this Congress to send me legislationthat places a market-based cap on carbonpollution and drives the production ofmore renewable energy in America. Andto support that innovation, we will investfifteen billion dollars a year to developtechnologies like wind power and solarpower; advanced biofuels, clean coal, andmore fuel-efficient cars and trucks builtright here in America.”-- President Obama

February 24, 2009

15

Introduction States Case Study

International

•Copenhagen 2009•Conclusion

Federal Regional

Copenhagen 2009

In 2012, the Kyoto Protocol will

expire. In December of 2009,

International leaders will meet at

the United Nations Climate

Change Conference in

Copenhagen to discuss

negotiations toward the next

global climate agreement.

16

Conclusion

The states are implementing criticalpolicies that reduce GHG emissions and indoing so have created a framework for thefederal government to follow to make theUnited States an international leader oncombating climate change.

The state work sets the foundation for theU.S. to participate in Copenhagen, whereinternational understanding andcooperation is imperative to further ourworld to the ultimate goal of a low carboneconomy.

“We need men who can dream of things that never were.”—John F. Kennedy

Endnotes1: www.edf.org/article.cfm?ContentID=3344

2: www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tp-climate-change-water.htm

3: gov.ca.gov/executive-order/1861/

4: solveclimate.com/blog/20090203/minnesotas-greenhouse-gas-emissions-start-decline

5: www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?subchannel=-536881736&sc2=-536881993&id=-536881351&agency=Commerce

6: www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/incentive2.cfm?Incentive_Code=MN14R&state=MN&CurrentPageID=1&RE=1&EE=1

7: www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/incentive2.cfm?Incentive_Code=MN14R&state=MN&CurrentPageID=1&RE=1&EE=1

8: www.westernclimateinitiative.org/

9:www.midwesternaccord.org/

10:www.rggi.org/home

11: www.climatestrategies.us/ *Note: The calculations are based on 20 states that have a full plan with approximately 50 actions that show exactly how targets will be attained in the near and mid term. The 20 states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Maine,

Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Washington

12: www.climatestrategies.us/ *Note: The calculations are based on the 20 states mentioned above.

13: www.uctv.tv/search-details.asp?showID=15705

14: gov.ca.gov/press-release/11531/

15: www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/remarks-of-president-barack-obama-address-to-joint-session-of-congress/

16: unfccc.int/2860.php

ReferencesSources for this bulletin include:

• Environmental Defense Fund www.edf.org

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)www.ipcc.ch

• Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord (MGGRA)www.midwesternaccord.org

• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiativewww.rggi.org

• Solve Climatesolveclimate.com

• The Center for Climate Studieswww.climatestrategies.us

• Union of Concerned Scientistswww.ucsusa.org

• United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)www.unep.org

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)http://unfccc.int

• Western Climate Initiative www.westernclimateinitiative.org

Contact

Terry Tamminen Jenna [email protected] [email protected]+1 310 581 5472 +1 310 581 5487

www.seventhgenerationadvisors.orgwww.newamerica.net