Carbon neutrality in the United States refers to reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to the point where carbon emissions are neutral compared to the absorption of carbon dioxide, and often called "net zero". Like the European Union, and countries worldwide, the United States has implemented carbon neutrality measures and law reform at both federal and state levels:
The following is a list of measures to move to clean electricity in 22 states, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico, dates, and the details of their laws. [6]
| State | Measure | Latest date | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2045 | 2018 legislation (SB 100) extended and expanded the existing state RPS. State agencies are required to submit implementation plans by January 1, 2021. In 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown's Executive Order B-55-18 set a goal of statewide carbon neutrality by no later than 2045, with net negative GHG emissions thereafter. |
| Colorado | 100% carbon-free electricity for Xcel Energy | 2050 | A 2019 law (SB 19-236) codified a pledge previously made by Xcel, whose service territory covers approximately 60% of the state's load. It is mandatory “so long as it is technically and economically feasible.” |
| Connecticut | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2040 | Governor Ned Lamont's 2019 Executive Order (Number 3) set a 2040 goal for carbon-free electricity and asked the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to develop a decarbonization plan for the power sector, in line with previous legislation to cut economy-wide carbon emissions by 80% below 2001 levels by 2050. In May 2022, Senate Bill 10, An Act Concerning Climate Change Mitigation, placed the goal into law. |
| District of Columbia | 100% renewable energy through the RPS | 2032 | The Clean Energy DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 (DC Act 22-583) amended the existing RPS to mandate 100% renewable electricity by the year 2032. |
| Hawaii | 100% renewable energy through the RPS | 2045 | 2015 legislation (HB623) made Hawaii the first state to set a 100% RPS for the electricity sector. |
| Illinois | 100% clean energy | 2050 | 2021 legislation (SB2408) established a goal of 100% clean energy by 2050, with interim targets of 40% by 2030 and 50% by 2040. |
| Louisiana | Net zero greenhouse gas emissions | 2050 | Governor John Bel Edwards’ 2020 Executive Order (JBE 2020–18) established a Climate Initiatives Task Force to develop a roadmap and make recommendations. |
| Maine | 100% clean energy | 2050 | 2019 legislation (LD 1494) increased Maine's RPS to 80% by 2030, and set a goal of 100% by 2050. Also LD1679 sets an economy-wide goal of 80% cuts to greenhouse gases by 2050. |
| Maryland | Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions | 2045 | The General Assembly enacted the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022. This wide-ranging legislation includes the 2045 net-zero goal. |
| Massachusetts | Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions | 2050 | In 2020, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs set a 2050 net-zero GHG emissions goal under the authority of 2008 legislation. The same goal was then included in a March 2021 climate action law (Bill S.9). A decarbonization roadmap was released at the end of 2020. |
| Michigan | Economy-wide carbon neutrality | 2050 | Governor Gretchen Whitmer's order in 2020 (Executive Directive 2020–10) set a goal “to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality no later than 2050.” It directed the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to develop a plan by the end of 2021. |
| Minnesota | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2040 | 2023 legislation (SF 4) requires electric utilities to get 100% of the electricity they sell from carbon-free sources by 2040, including renewables and nuclear power. There are interim targets of 80% carbon-free power in 2030 and 90% in 2035. The legislation also increases the state's Renewable Energy Standard to 55% by 2035. |
| Nebraska | Net-zero carbon emissions from generation resources for Nebraska Public Power District and Omaha Public Power District | 2050 | Nebraska is the only state served solely by publicly owned utilities. As of December 2021, the three public utilities that serve the vast majority of customers have all adopted 100% clean energy goals. 2040 target for Lincoln Electric System. |
| Nevada | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2050 | 2019 legislation (SB 358) raised the RPS to 50% by 2030, and set a goal of a net-zero emission power sector by 2050. |
| New Jersey | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2035 | Governor Phil Murphy's Executive Order 315 in 2023 set a goal of ensuring 100% of energy sold in the state comes from clean sources by 2035 and directed BPU to develop an updated Energy Master Plan by 2024. |
| New Mexico | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2045 | 2019 legislation (SB 489) requires utilities to have a zero-carbon power supply by 2045, including at least 80% from renewables, with the exception of rural electric coops which have a 2050 target date. |
| New York | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2040 | 2019 legislation (S6599) requires zero-emissions electricity by 2040 and sets a goal of cutting all state GHGs 85% by 2050. A Climate Action Council will develop a plan. |
| North Carolina | Carbon neutrality in the electricity sector | 2050 | 2021 legislation (HB 951) requires the North Carolina Utilities Commission to “take all reasonable steps” to achieve a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions from electric generating facilities in the state by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. The 2022 Executive Order 246 sets an economy-wide target of net-zero emissions by "no later than 2050," sets a goal that half of new vehicle sales must be electric vehicles by 2030, incorporates environmental justice and equity into climate programs, and has other measures. |
| Oregon | Greenhouse gas emissions reduced 100 percent below baseline emissions | 2040 | 2021 legislation (HB 2021) requires investor-owned utilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the electricity they sell to 80 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2030, 90 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2035, and 100 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2040. |
| Puerto Rico | 100% renewable energy for electricity | 2050 | 2019 legislation (SB1121), the Public Energy Policy Law of Puerto Rico, set a timeline for reaching 100% renewable electricity by the year 2050. |
| Rhode Island | 100% renewable energy electricity | 2033 | Governor Gina Raimondo's 2020 Executive Order (20-01) requires the Office of Energy Resources to “conduct economic and energy market analysis and develop viable policy and programmatic pathways” to meet 100% of statewide electricity deliveries with renewables by 2030. 2022 legislation (H7277 SUB A) updates the state's RPS to require 100% of RI's electricity to be offset by renewable production by 2033. |
| Virginia | 100% carbon-free electricity for Dominion Energy | 2045 | The 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act (House Bill 1526 and Senate Bill 851) requires zero-carbon utilities by 2050 at the latest. 2050 for Appalachian Power Company. |
| Washington | 100% zero-emissions electricity | 2045 | 2019's Clean Energy Transformation Act (SB5116) applies to all utilities. The state Commerce Department started a rulemaking process in August 2019. Utilities must file implementation plans by January 2022. |
| Wisconsin | 100% carbon-free electricity | 2050 | Governor Tony Evers’ Executive Order (EO38) in 2019 directed a new Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy to “achieve a goal” of all carbon-free power by 2050. |
California in 2020 set a 2035 target for all passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks to cease emissions. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York State, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont also have laws for 2035.
Maine, Oregon, Washington have laws for 2030.
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2023) |
California has proposed a ban on gas furnaces and heating or water systems and appliances.
| | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2023) |
The California Air Resources Board is an agency of the government of California that aims to reduce air pollution. Established in 1967 when then-governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the cabinet-level California Environmental Protection Agency.
A zero-emission vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that does not emit exhaust gas or other pollutants from the onboard source of power. The California definition also adds that this includes under any and all possible operational modes and conditions. This is because under cold-start conditions for example, internal combustion engines tend to produce the maximum amount of pollutants. In a number of countries and states, transport is cited as the main source of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other pollutants. The desire to reduce this is thus politically strong.
Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Most definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions and social and economic aspects such as energy poverty. Renewable energy sources such as wind, hydroelectric power, solar, and geothermal energy are generally far more sustainable than fossil fuel sources. However, some renewable energy projects, such as the clearing of forests to produce biofuels, can cause severe environmental damage.
The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) is a public-private partnership to promote hydrogen vehicles (including cars and buses) in California. It is notable as one of the first initiatives for that purpose undertaken in the United States. The challenge is which come first, hydrogen cars or filling stations.
The energy policy of the United States is determined by federal, state, and local entities. It addresses issues of energy production, distribution, consumption, and modes of use, such as building codes, mileage standards, and commuting policies. Energy policy may be addressed via legislation, regulation, court decisions, public participation, and other techniques.
A low-carbon economy (LCE) or decarbonised economy is an economy based on energy sources that produce low levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. GHG emissions due to human activity are the dominant cause of observed climate change since the mid-20th century. Continued emission of greenhouse gases will cause long-lasting changes around the world, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible effects for people and ecosystems. Shifting to a low-carbon economy on a global scale could bring substantial benefits both for developed and developing countries. Many countries around the world are designing and implementing low-emission development strategies (LEDS). These strategies seek to achieve social, economic, and environmental development goals while reducing long-term greenhouse gas emissions and increasing resilience to the effects of climate change.
The United States produced 5.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2020, the second largest in the world after greenhouse gas emissions by China and among the countries with the highest greenhouse gas emissions per person. In 2019 China is estimated to have emitted 27% of world GHG, followed by the United States with 11%, then India with 6.6%. In total the United States has emitted a quarter of world GHG, more than any other country. Annual emissions are over 15 tons per person and, amongst the top eight emitters, is the highest country by greenhouse gas emissions per person. However, the IEA estimates that the richest decile in the US emits over 55 tonnes of CO2 per capita each year. Because coal-fired power stations are gradually shutting down, in the 2010s emissions from electricity generation fell to second place behind transportation which is now the largest single source. In 2020, 27% of the GHG emissions of the United States were from transportation, 25% from electricity, 24% from industry, 13% from commercial and residential buildings and 11% from agriculture. In 2021, the electric power sector was the second largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 25% of the U.S. total. These greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to climate change in the United States, as well as worldwide.
Fossil fuel phase-out is the gradual reduction of the use and production of fossil fuels to zero, to reduce deaths and illness from air pollution, limit climate change, and strengthen energy independence. It is part of the ongoing renewable energy transition.
Mandatory renewable energy targets are part of government legislated schemes which require electricity merchandisers to source-specific amounts of aggregate electricity sales from renewable energy sources according to a fixed time frame. The objective of these schemes is to promote renewable energy and decrease dependency on fossil fuels. If this results in an additional expenditure of electricity, the additional cost is distributed across most customers by increases in other tariffs. The cost of this measure is therefore not funded by the government budgets, except for costs of establishing and monitoring the scheme and any audit and enforcement actions. As the cost of renewable energy has become cheaper than other sources, meeting and exceeding a renewable energy target will also reduce the expenditure of electricity to consumers.
Coal phase-out is an environmental policy intended to stop using the combustion of coal in coal-burning power plants, and is part of fossil fuel phase-out. Coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel, therefore phasing it out is critical to limiting climate change and keeping global warming to 1.5 °C as laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that coal is responsible for over 30% of the global average temperature increase above pre-industrial levels.
Climate change in Finland has far reaching impacts on the natural environment and people of Finland. Finland was among the top five greenhouse gas emitters in 2001, on a per capita basis. Emissions increased to 58.8 million tonnes in 2016. Finland needs to triple its current cuts to emissions in order to be carbon neutral by 2035. Finland relies on coal and peat for its energy, but plans to phase out coal by 2029. Finland has a target of carbon neutrality by the year 2035 without carbon credits. The policies include nature conservation, more investments in trains, changes in taxation and more sustainable wood burning. After 2035 Finland will be carbon negative, meaning soaking more carbon than emitting.
Climate change in Europe has resulted in an increase in temperature of 2.3 °C (2022) in Europe compared to pre-industrial levels. Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world. Europe's climate is getting warmer due to anthropogenic activity. According to international climate experts, global temperature rise should not exceed 2 °C to prevent the most dangerous consequences of climate change; without reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, this could happen before 2050. Climate change has implications for all regions of Europe, with the extent and nature of impacts varying across the continent.
Zero-carbon housing is a term used to describe a house that does not emit greenhouse gasses, specifically carbon dioxide (CO2), into the atmosphere. Homes release greenhouse gases through burning fossil fuels in order to provide heat, or even while cooking on a gas stove. A zero carbon house can be achieved by either building or renovating a home to be very energy efficient and for its energy consumption to be from non-emitting sources, for example electricity.
Energy in California is a major area of the economy of California. California is the state with the largest population and the largest economy in the United States. It is second in energy consumption after Texas. As of 2018, per capita consumption was the fourth-lowest in the United States partially because of the mild climate and energy efficiency programs.
Most energy in Israel comes from fossil fuels. The country's total primary energy demand is significantly higher than its total primary energy production, relying heavily on imports to meet its energy needs. Total primary energy consumption was 304 TWh (1.037 quad) in 2016, or 26.2 million tonne of oil equivalent.
Vehicles that are powered by fossil fuels, such as gasoline (petrol), diesel, kerosene, and fuel oil are set to be phased out by a number of countries. It is one of the three most important parts of the general fossil fuel phase-out process, the others being the phase-out of fossil fuel power plants for electricity generation and decarbonisation of industry.
Greenhouse gas emissions by China are the largest of any country in the world both in production and consumption terms, and stem mainly from coal burning in China, including coal-fired power stations, coal mining, and blast furnaces producing iron and steel. When measuring production-based emissions, China emitted over 14 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2eq of greenhouse gases in 2019, 27% of the world total. When measuring in consumption-based terms, which adds emissions associated with imported goods and extracts those associated with exported goods, China accounts for 13 gigatonnes (Gt) or 25% of global emissions.
The European Green Deal, approved in 2020, is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making the European Union (EU) climate neutral in 2050. The plan is to review each existing law on its climate merits, and also introduce new legislation on the circular economy, building renovation, biodiversity, farming and innovation.
The 2023 Berlin climate neutrality referendum, also referred to as Berlin 2030 climate-neutral, was a citizens' initiative launched in Berlin in 2018. It was the subject of a city-wide referendum on 26 March 2023, commonly called the Klima-Volksentscheid. Voters were asked whether the Climate Protection and Energy Transition Act of 2016 should be amended. The primary goal of the referendum was to legislate a goal of carbon neutrality by the year 2030 rather than the existing goal of 2045. Since the referendum proposed specific amendments to the law, its result would have been legally binding. In order to pass, the proposal needed to be approved by a majority of voters and receive approval from a quorum of over 25% of registered voters. While 50.9% of those who participated voted in favour, as turnout was approximately 18%, the 25% quorum was not met.
The phase-out of gas boilers is a set of policies to remove the use of fossil gas from the heating of buildings and use in appliances. Typically gas is used to boil water, for showering, or central heating. In many countries, gas heating represents one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and climate damage, leading a growing number of countries to introduce bans.