Regional or State Legislation

Many states in America are taking the lead in fighting climate change. 24 states and Puerto Rico have joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, a group of people from different political parties, to reduce emissions by at least 26% by 2025. This is a step in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work to be done. States can help by using their power and influence to promote new technologies and policies to reduce emissions, such as using their utilities and road construction projects to promote clean energy. They can also test new policies, like carbon pricing and clean fuel standards, before they are implemented nationwide. States can even work together, like California and other western states are doing by joining their power grids, or like states in the Northeast have done with a cap-and-trade program to lower emissions. The U.S. Climate Alliance, along with the cities that have joined, represent over 60% of the U.S. economy, which means they have a huge impact on the market.

State legislatures are responsible for creating laws related to clean energy and reducing emissions. They work with state agencies, like public utility or service commissions, to make sure these laws are followed. These agencies are responsible for things like energy efficiency, pollution control, and managing land use. You might not have heard of these agencies, like the public utility commission or the public service commission, but they play a big role in regulating electricity in the U.S. For example, they approve plans proposed by electric companies and set the prices that consumers pay for electricity. As we use more electricity, these agencies will become even more important.

Gates, Bill. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster (pp. 212-213). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.