There are several steps that states and localities take when preparing to act on climate change. They can start by establishing a task force or advisory group to guide the process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Government agencies, the private sector, local nongovernmental organizations, and others should be involved.
Then they can conduct outreach efforts, including educating the public and working with the private sector to determine possible voluntary actions that they can take. State and local governments also can do outreach to specific groups that might be especially vulnerable to the risks of climate change or have a particular interest in the issue.
They can develop an inventory of their sources and sinks of greenhouse gas emissions. The inventory provides a baseline to measure future changes in their emissions and is a critical step toward developing comprehensive climate change policies and strategies. State inventories also help states identify the most effective opportunities to reduce emissions. The U.S. inventory can provide insight into the sources of emissions.
The next step is developing a climate change action plan. Action Plans lay out the institutional and policy structure, including specific policy proposals or planning processes, for developing and implementing the plan.
After that, states can initiate specific actions –enacting legislation, passing regulations, or setting up demonstration programs. The measures they implement can include the voluntary Federal programs to reduce emissions and costs.
Finally, state and local governments can take a leadership role by making improvements in government operations (see Smart Savings: Climate Solutions For Cities). They can make wastewater treatment plants more energy efficient, gradually convert government fleets to alternative fuel vehicles, retrofit government buildings for energy efficiency, and convert lighting in those buildings to energy-efficient bulbs. State and Local Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Case Studies demonstrate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a variety of methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology also has a large collection of State and Local Greenhouse Gas Reduction Case Studies 
State and Local Actions to Address Climate Change
Summary
- 35 states and territories have initiated and 34 have completed state greenhouse gas emission inventories. In addition, 26 states and territories have initiated and 17 have completed greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies. Five of the state plans alone have identified strategies that could collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34 MMTCE, or 2 percent of U.S. 2010 emissions, while saving over $600 million per year.
Examples of State Activities
- In an Executive Order, New Jersey’s Environmental Commissioner set a target for the N.J. Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Plan to reduce emissions to 3.5 percent below 1990 levels by 2005. The plan will outline policies to help achieve the goal.
- The Land and Water Fund of Colorado is promoting the purchase of wind-generated electricity in Colorado. The project has been so successful that demand far exceeds supply and the utility in the area, Public Service of Colorado, will build new wind-powered plants to satisfy public support.
- Utah partnered with U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy for the conversion of the Dangling Rope Marina in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area from diesel electricity to photovoltaic panels. The conversion reduced the Marina’s emissions by 486 metric tons of carbon dioxide, 27,000 pounds of nitrogen dioxide, and 5,183 pounds of carbon monoxide per year. The $1.5 million project will pay for itself through projected lifetime cost savings of more than $2.3 million.
- Wisconsin is promoting the conversion of electric to natural gas water heaters. The state has set a goal of converting 625 hot water heaters, which will save the average homeowner more than $150 per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired utilities.
- Oregon initiated its first telecommuting project in 1991. Now, 7 to 8 percent of the workforce statewide is telecommuting, and Oregon has passed a law requiring every state agency to initiate a telecommuting program. This is significant because 40 percent of all energy used in Oregon is related to transportation, and 25 percent of all transportation energy comes from commuters.
- Wisconsin developed an elaborate cost reduction strategy and went on to conduct an economic assessment of mitigation options. The state discovered that it could stabilize emissions at 1990 levels by 2010 for less than $15 per ton CO2, while saving up to $2.7 billion in energy and operating costs, and creating more than 7,000 jobs.
- Wisconsin also developed a creative education and outreach program that emphasizes energy efficiency. The program featured a contest for schoolchildren to design bookmarks underscoring the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- New Hampshire is working with the University of New Hampshire to develop a climate change curriculum for middle and high school teachers.
- Vermont incorporated the Vermont Greenhouse Gas Action Plan into the state’s energy plan. The report identifies policy options that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 21 percent, increase employment by 1 percent, reduce energy costs by $6.2 billion, reduce acid rain precursors by 24 percent and ground level ozone precursors by 30 percent, and reduce energy use by 16 percent by 2020.
- Washington developed a greenhouse gas emission reduction study and identified options that could stabilize emissions at 1990 levels by 2010 at a cost of less than $5 per ton of CO2.
Examples of Local Activities
With U.S. EPA funding, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives' Cities for Climate Protection Campaign assisted 68 U.S. cities and counties to reduce emissions by 5.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent. Other benefits from these actions include saving $25.7 million in energy and fuel costs and preventing the release of 7,000 tons of criteria air pollutants.
- Burlington, Vermont's Electric Department has used local contractors to install more than 15,000 energy efficiency measures. Over the lifetime of the program, 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide will be reduced.
- Aspen, Colorado's Community Office for Resource Efficiency sold and installed five grid-connected photovoltaic systems ranging from 800 watts to 4.5 kilowatts. Every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by solar power keeps approximately 2 pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted.