Below are a range of websites which cover international, US and US state climate plans and data sources.
Information on international and U.S. climate policy and action
To see what is happening in US states
Information on energy efficiency in appliances, homes, green building and design:
EPA’s Energy Star website
US Green Building Council for information on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating and certification system
Information on the built environment and the role of design and architecture in reducing energy use. (Includes maps of projected sea level rise.) ----------
The following U.S. states have climate action plans underway or completed:
A number of states are addressing climate change on a regional basis (in addition to their individual efforts). Prominent examples are:
Western Regional Air Partnership
The Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) is a collaborative effort of tribal governments, state governments, and various federal agencies to develop the technical and policy tools needed by western states and tribes to comply with the U.S. EPA's regional haze regulations. With help from CCS, WRAP is producing current, consistent, and comprehensive GHG inventories and forecasts for nine western states to lay the foundation for ongoing regional collaboration. For more information see: http://www.wrapair.org/ and http://www.wrapair.org/WRAP/meetings/060913m/CCS_Update_on_GHG_Inventories.pdf.
West Coast Governors’ Global Warming Initiative
In November 2004, the governors of Washington, Oregon, and California approved a series of detailed recommendations to reduce global warming pollution, and directed their staff members to broaden efforts on mitigation strategies in the coming year. The action was a part of the West Coast Governors Global Warming Initiative, whose three states collectively rank 7th in the world in greenhouse gas emissions. The governors are concerned that global warming will have serious adverse consequences on the economy, health, and environment of the West Coast states. They believe that their states must act individually and regionally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that regions can enjoy economic benefits by importing less fossil fuel and making greater investments in clean energy technologies. For more information, see http://www.ef.org/westcoastclimate/WCGGWI_Nov_04%20Report.pdf.
Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers 2001 Climate Agreement
The Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) is an international collaboration between U.S. states and Canadian provinces. They convene to share ideas and address issues in common relating to the environment, economic development, tourism, energy, fisheries, trade, and agriculture. Based in part on the past success of the NEG/ECP Mercury and Acid Rain Action Plans (June 1998), a regional steering committee of environment and energy officials formed to draft a plan to address the growing concerns of global warming. The Climate Change Action Plan was submitted to and accepted by the NEG/ECP in 2001. The plan is a voluntary agreement to pursue coordinated actions on climate change including measures such as: shifting to lower/zero carbon energy resources where economically feasible; implementing actions that will support and develop the regional economy; maintaining secure and reliable energy supplies in the region; fostering long-term environmental and economic sustainability; and working with the federal governments to seek additional solutions that can be addressed at the national and international level. Participating states and provinces are: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Brunswick, New Foundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. For more information, see: http://www.negc.org/documents/NEG-ECP%20CCAP.pdf.
Midwest Governors' Accord
In November, 2007 ten Midwest leaders--nine US Governors and one Canadian Premier--agreed to set green house gas (GHG) reduction targets. The Accord was reached between Indiana, Illinos, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Manitoba. The ten agreed to develop a market based cap-and-trade mechansim to achive the reductions. Other steps to support the intiative and to reduce GHGs in other ways in part of the Accored. For further information and to see a copy of the Accored visit: http://www.midwesterngovernors.org/govenergynov.htm
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, is a cooperative effort by Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. To address this important environmental issue, the RGGI participating states will be developing a regional strategy for controlling emissions. Central to this initiative is the implementation of a multi-state cap-and-trade program. The proposed program will require electric power generators in participating states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. For more information, see: www.rggi.org.
