A robust effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Pennsylvania

Recognizing the opportunities that a new governor in Pennsylvania can embark upon, PennFuture staff analyzed and evaluated potential environmental, conservation and energy policy actions that Gov. Tom Wolf can take or initiate, most within the first 100 days of his administration. We've called it A Fresh Start for Pennsylvania: 26 steps that Governor Wolf can take to improve Pennsylvania's environment and economy.

The 26 policy recommendations variously address stormwater management, well constructions standards, and green building standards, among other issues. This post is a synopsis of our recommendation to reduce carbon pollution.

Make robust efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Recommendation

Governor Wolf should make climate change a priority for not only the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but for the entire administration. This vital work needs to be bolstered and elevated in profile. The Wolf administration should immediately commence its climate planning and greenhouse gas reduction efforts in conjunction with the forthcoming requirements of the Pennsylvania Climate Change Act and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan.

A robust state climate policy will make our economy more energy efficient, saving our citizens money. Reducing carbon pollution also reduces smog, ozone, and other traditional air pollutants.

Recent modeling from our grid operator PJM has shown that a multi-state approach to reducing carbon pollution can be as much as 30 percent less expensive than a state specific plan. For this reason, the administration should investigate joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) or a similar organization. This would not only simplify compliance with federal requirements, it would also bring money into the state that could support additional programs to reduce carbon pollution.

Because increases in energy efficiency will return money directly to consumers while lowering carbon pollution, Pennsylvania should focus on achievable efficiency measures. This could include building on the success of existing efficiency programs such as Pennsylvania’s Act 129, bringing our building codes up to current standards and promoting energy efficiency financing programs such as Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC), Keystone HELP, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), and on-bill finance programs.

In addition to efficiency, Pennsylvania could do more to encourage renewable energy. While Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) program made the state an early leader, nearby states have since set higher targets for clean and renewable energy. By renewing its leadership in this field, Pennsylvania would create more jobs, lower energy prices, and reduce not just carbon pollution but protect public health by reducing air toxics, water pollution, and waste.

Joy Bergey is PennFuture's federal policy director. She is based in Philadelphia and tweets @joybergey.

Great climate news: U.S. and China agree on serious carbon reductions

It's wonderful to read about the just-announced international agreement between the U.S and China to reduce CO2 emissions, especially in light of Congress' refusal so far to act on climate change.

These two nations are the 800-pound gorillas when it comes to carbon pollution, so without each of them acting, we're up the creek, as they say.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had a terrific opinion piece in the New York Times outlining the deal. Here's what he wrote about target for U.S. reductions:

"The United States intends to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 – a target that is both ambitious and feasible. It roughly doubles the pace of carbon reductions in the period from 2020 to 2025 as compared to the period from 2005 to 2020. It puts us on a path to transform our economy, with emissions reductions on the order of 80 percent by 2050."

The political importance of this agreement is that it undercuts one of the big arguments that climate deniers have been using for years to fight against climate action: Why should the U.S. take action unilaterally? (My response has always been that if we think of ourselves as the world's leader, then we should accordingly and take the lead, even if unilaterally.)

Secretary Kerry eloquently removes that argument from the table with this announcement:

"We need to solve this problem together because neither one of us can solve it alone. Even if the United States somehow eliminated all of our domestic greenhouse gas emissions, it still wouldn’t be enough to counteract the carbon pollution coming from China and the rest of the world. Likewise, even if China went down to zero emissions, it wouldn’t make enough of a difference if the United States and the rest of the world didn’t change direction." 

Details on the agreement are still emerging. Read more in the White House's fact sheet.

Thank you, Secretary Kerry.  You've made my day.

Joy Bergey is PennFuture's federal policy director. She's based in Philadelphia and tweets at @joybergey.