About This Program

Overview

There is scientific consensus that the effects of global warming are bringing us closer to one or more environmental tipping points, and that if these points are passed, the result will be massive economic and environmental displacement worldwide over the next 10 to 20 years. Although more than a hundred nations have signed, ratified, and begun implementation of the Kyoto accord on global warming, there is also broad consensus that without a national program to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, the world cannot avoid reaching these critical tipping points.

The United States is home to just 5% of the world's population, but it produces at least 25% of human-made greenhouse gases. While several states, cities, and companies have taken significant steps to address global warming on their own, progress has been too slow and piecemeal to overcome the lack of climate action policies in other parts of the nation or at the federal level.

New America's Climate Policy Program focuses on designing and implementing a national response to climate change by aggregating the action of state and local governments. The 10 most populous U.S. states account for more than 50% of the nation's population, 60% of its gross domestic product, and over 60% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. While not all of these states are prepared to embark on a significant climate change program, what these statistics make clear is that by focusing on a few key states we can make significant progress toward reducing GHG emissions nationally and provide a framework for policies at the national and international level.

Bottom Up Strategy: State Climate Action

Efforts at the state level are crucial to solving the challenge of global warming for three reasons:

1.  There are significant environmental benefits to be gained from a reduced carbon footprint in states as large as California (which is the world's sixth largest economy and the twelfth largest emitter of GHGs).

2.  The potential economic benefits are also demonstrable, given the likely creation of new sustainable industries (renewable energy, for example).

3.  Other nations are more likely to reduce their own GHGs when the United States is seen to be taking action, even when that action is at the subnational rather than the federal level.

Proven Success

Over the last few years our work with key leadership governors and associations has produced tangible results:

• With active input and guidance from NAF, 20 states have set GHG reduction targets and more than 33 states have completed or are in the process of completing Climate Action Plans. NAF is involved in promoting a federal climate policy that builds on work being done by these states.
• NAF provided policy guidance on the creation of Western and Midwestern cap-and-trade carbon market systems. More than 20 states across the nation have joined one of these regional carbon trading systems (including the Northeast system), which allow regulated entities to use flexible market-based compliance mechanisms to comply with their GHG emissions caps.
• NAF continuously designs and distributes climate policy tools for state leaders and organizations. Most are posted on www.newamerica.net/climate and include maps, information and news that is focused on state and regional climate policy.
• NAF was a major organizer and sponsor of the Governors' Global Climate Summit held in November, 2008. The historic Summit was a tremendous success bringing together leaders from the U.S. states, China, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, the EU and other key regions of the world. President-Elect Obama used the Summit to make a detailed and firm commitment to greenhouse gas reductions in line with the 33 "climate leadership" states, proclaiming that he will reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them another 80 percent by 2050.

Behind-The-Scenes Ambassadors

New America's Climate Policy Program adds significant impetus to the efforts of the other nonprofit organizations that are contributing to (or are the actual architects of) state and local climate action plans. While academic and technical organizations can provide climate plans, emissions inventories, and models from other states, the Climate Policy Program staff is uniquely suited to provide:

• Experience from the "trenches" of climate planning efforts in several states, especially California, now regarded as the gold standard for state climate plans and legislation. The lessons learned can prove invaluable to other states as they embark on comprehensive climate planning.
• Connections to governors, key legislators, and world leaders to provide advice and political support for new climate planning efforts at the state, national and international level.
• Assistance to governors and other state and local leaders and their policy advisors in navigating the complex potential outcomes to adopt a full complement of climate measures and ensure effective implementation.

Looking Forward

Perhaps the most important outcome of the Governors' Global Climate Summit was that participating world leaders committed to establish workgroups to develop individual sector-specific actions and position papers on specific policies that will advance United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) international negotiations toward the next global climate agreement. NAF has been asked by these world leaders, including the new Obama Administration, to facilitate the successful completion of these efforts.  

In addition, India will host a follow up to the Summit in February 2009 and China will host a subsequent event in June 2009 to benchmark and announce progress on Summit goals and to add new members to this "alliance" before the 2009 UNFCCC Copenhagen meeting. NAF will be involved in these efforts as well to ensure that strong policies are incorporated into the next global agreement - - and that the world reaches an agreement commensurate with the climate change threats we face.