Rhode Island General Assembly Approves 'Act On Climate'

PROVIDENCE, RI — A landmark climate emissions bill is headed to Gov. Dan McKee's desk after gaining approval from both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Act on Climate updates the state's emissions reductions, outlined in the Resilient Rhode Island Act of 2014. The new bill is more ambitious than its predecessor, calling for the state to reach net-zero by 2050. The new reduction goals are:

• This year: 10 percent below 1990 levels
• 2030: 45 percent below 1990 levels
• 2040: 80 percent below 1990 levels
• 2050: net-zero emissions

The plan applies to all climate emissions, including transportation, buildings and heating, and electricity used across the economy.

Rep. Lauren Carson, who sponsored the bill, called it "a meaningful promise to our children that we will not continue destroying the earth they are inheriting." It aligns with the goals laid out by international leaders in the Paris Agreement.

"[The bill] lays the groundwork for long-range planning, committing to a practical, 30-year strategy for winding down carbon pollution alongside the rest of the developed world and embracing the new, cleaner technologies that become more effective, available and affordable each year," Carson said. "The Ocean State, which is already suffering from flooding as a result of rising seas, must be part of the important planning to stop disastrous global warming. Taking these steps will help us demand industrial change, capture federal funding and help Rhode Island emerge as a world leader in the explosively expanding green economy."

Final votes on the legislation were held in both chambers Tuesday.

The bill requires public transparency throughout the process, including the creation of a transparency portal to show annual reductions in emissions. Despite the ambitious goals, Rhode Island residents will not have to make specific, expensive adjustments in their day-to-day lives.

Sen. Dawn Euer, the bill's Senate sponsor, said the state has "everything we need to do our part to slam the brakes on carbon pollution while revolutionizing our economy at the same time."

"Rhode Island has been on the leading edge of offshore wind in the United States, and is also at the forefront of other renewable generation and efficiency programs," Euer said. "Rhode Island was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. We can seize this moment and become America’s leader in the new green economy, creating plentiful green jobs that support families and a clean environment."

The legislation requires that the state's Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council update its plan for carbon reduction every five years, as well as include measures for equity in the transition to the green economy. This includes supporting employees in the transition from traditional fossil-fuel jobs to green energy, as well as centers food insecurity as a key issue in climate change plans.

If the state does not meet the targets laid out in the bill, the people of Rhode Island would have the ability to call for compliance through the Providence Superior Court.

Red more: Opinion: Act On Climate Is The Commitment We Need