Climate Change Action Plan 2001
Encyclopedia
The New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG-ECP) Climate Change Action Plan 2001 is a resolution adopted on August 28, 2001, by the New England Governors and the Eastern Canadian Premiers. The resolution calls for a reduction in greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2010, at least 10% below 1990 levels by 2020, and a 75-85% reduction of 2001 levels as a long term goal.
Participating are the six states belonging to New England
: Connecticut
, Maine
, Massachusetts
, New Hampshire
, Rhode Island
, and Vermont
; as well as the Eastern Canadian provinces: New Brunswick
, Newfoundland and Labrador
, Nova Scotia
, Prince Edward Island
, and Quebec
.
In addition, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) is building a Regional Greenhouse Gas Registry (RGGR) to help track emissions in the region. This effort is similar to that of the California Climate Action Registry
.
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
(GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2010, at least 10% below 1990 levels by 2020, and a 75-85% reduction of 2001 levels as a long term goal.
Participating are the six states belonging to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
: Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
; as well as the Eastern Canadian provinces: New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
In addition, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) is building a Regional Greenhouse Gas Registry (RGGR) to help track emissions in the region. This effort is similar to that of the California Climate Action Registry
California Climate Action Registry
The California Climate Action Registry was established by California statute as a non-profit voluntary registry for greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of the Registry is to help companies and organizations with operations in the state to establish GHG emissions baselines against which any future...
.
History
The drafting of the action plan began when the NEG-ECP adopted the Resolution Concerning Global Warming and its Impacts on the Environment (Resolution 25-9) on July 16–18, 2000. It addresses that "global warming, given its harmful consequences to the environment and the economy, is a joint concern for which a regional approach to strategic action is required."Action items
The resolution outlines nine major action items, designed to aid the participating states in meeting committed goals:- Action Item 1: The Establishment of a Regional Standardized GHG Emissions Inventory
- Action Item 2: The Establishment of a Plan for Reducing GHG Emissions and Conserving Energy
- Action Item 3: The Promotion of Public Awareness
- Action Item 4: State and Provincial Governments to Lead by Example
- Action Item 5: The Reduction of Greenhouse Gases from the Electricity Sector
- Action Item 6: The Reduction of the Total Energy Demand Through Conservation
- Action Item 7: The Reduction and/or Adaptation of Negative Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change
- Action Item 8: A Decrease in the Transportation Sector's Growth in GHG Emissions
- Action Item 9: The Creation of a Regional Emissions Registry and the Exploration of a Trading Mechanism
See also
- Climate change in CanadaClimate change in CanadaIn Canada mitigation of anthropogenic climate change is being addressed more seriously by the provinces than by the federal government.-Emissions:...
- Climate change in the United StatesClimate change in the United StatesThere is an international interest in issues surrounding global warming in the United States due to the U.S. position in world affairs and the U.S.'s high level of greenhouse gas emissions per capita.-Greenhouse gas emissions by the United States:...
- Climate Stewardship Bill
- The Climate RegistryThe Climate RegistryThe Climate Registry is a nonprofit collaboration between North American states, provinces, territories, and Native Sovereign Nations to record and track the greenhouse gas emissions of businesses, municipalities and other organisations...
- Western Regional Climate Action Initiative
- Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord
- Regional Greenhouse Gas InitiativeRegional Greenhouse Gas InitiativeRegional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a regional initiative by states and provinces in the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada regions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions...
- List of climate change initiatives