This map summarizes those state policies that have been formalized by legislative and executive branch actions to date. The table shown below the map lists each jurisdiction’s decisions that are summarized in the map

 

Sources for map: Climate commitments data from United States Climate Alliance, Inventory of Climate and Clean Energy Policies—Policies by State [Web page, reporting 2019 status of states]. District of Columbia data from: DC Department of Energy & Environment, Climate Action Planning [Web page], and Code of the District of Columbia, §34–1432 – Renewable energy portfolio standard. EE goals or standards from American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Energy Efficiency Resource Standards [Web page]. RPS/CEPS data from North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, Renewable Portfolio Standards and Clean Energy Standards

Summary:

• Thirteen jurisdictions have goals that include both: (1) at least 75% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and (2) at least 75% of electricity production from renewable or combined renewable and clean energy production, by not later than 2050. Those states are designated with green shading plus green squares or circles on the map.
• States with renewable or clean energy portfolio standards but not greenhouse gas standards are indicated on the map with yellow shading. Four of those, indicated by blue squares, have the goal of achieving 100% renewable or combined renewable and clean electricity by 2050 or sooner.
• Many of the state goals address not only electricity production and use, but also include transportation fuels and heating fuels.

In addition, hundreds of cities and dozens of the world’s largest corporations, including fossil fuel companies and major U.S. utility companies, have made similar GHG and renewable energy commitments.

Climate Watch, managed by the World Resources Institute, tracks up-to-date information about countries that have adopted net-zero emissions goals, by law or policy. By year-end 2020, Climate Watch reports 44 countries, representing 14.5% of global GHG emissions, have adopted net-zero emissions goals by law or policy. Those countries are primarily located in Central and South America and in Europe, plus South Korea and Japan and a few Pacific Island countries.  https://www.climatewatchdata.org/net-zero-tracker 

 

Jurisdiction	GHG Policy	RPS/CEPS Policy
Arizona	Corporation Commission vote to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050; 50% by 2032; 75% by 2040.	15% by 2025
California	Carbon neutral by 2045	100% for retail electricity sales, by 2045
Colorado	90% by 2050	100% by 2040
Connecticut	80% below 2001 levels by 2050	100% by 2040
Delaware	26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025	25% by 2026
District of Columbia	80% below 2006 levels by 2050	80% by 2029; 100% by 2023
Hawaii	Carbon neutral by 2045	100% by 2045
Illinois		“Path towards 100%” Governor’s Plan
Maine	80% below 1990 levels by 2050	80% by 2030 (goal of 100% by 2050)
Maryland	2016 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act requires 40% below 2006 levels by 2030. A 2021 report, the 2030 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, calls for GHG reductions of “nearly 50% by 2030, and… net-zero economy wide… by 2045.”	50% by 2030
Massachusetts	At least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050	RPS of 35% by 2030 plus 1% per year thereafter; CEPS total 80% by 2050
Michigan	Carbon neutral by 2050 <link>	35% RPS+CEPS by 2025
Minnesota	80% below 2005 levels by 2050	~30% by 2020 (for IOUs, differs by utility)
Montana	Net-zero for average annual electric loads by 2035. Net-zero economy wide “over the long-term.”
Nevada	Net-zero or near-zero by 2050	50% by 2030 (target); 100% carbon-free by 2050 (goal)
New Jersey	80% below 2006 levels by 2050	50% by 2030 (target); 100% clean energy by 2050 (Governor’s goal)
New Mexico	45% below 2005 levels by 2030	80% clean energy by 2040 for IOUs and by 2050 for cooperatives
New York	Net-zero by 2050	70% renewable by 2030, zero-carbon by 2040
North Carolina	40% below 2005 levels by 2025	12.5% by 2021 for IOUs
Oregon	75% below 1990 levels by 2050	50% by 2040 for large utilities
Pennsylvania	80% below 2005 levels by 2050	18% by 2021
Puerto Rico	50% within the next five years	100% by 2050
Rhode Island	80% below 1990 levels by 2050	38.5% by 2030; 100% by 2030 (goal)
Vermont	80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050	55% tier one renewables by 2017; 75% by 2032
Virginia		100% carbon-free by 2050
Washington	50% below 1990 levels by 2050; State Dept. of Ecology “recommends” 80% by 2050.	100% carbon neutral by 2030; 100% clean energy by 2045
Wisconsin		Governor’s goal for 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2050