Public stakeholders are urging the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in the northeastern United States to adopt a deeper greenhouse gas emission target after 2020.
“RGGI’s regulators are mulling what amendments to make to the market when its fourth trading phase starts in 2018, while seeking input on how the states can use the scheme in the longer term to meet CO2 reduction targets under the EPA’s Clean Power Plan,” Carbon Pulse reports.
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Before the CPP takes effect in 2022, regional regulators are considering emission caps ranging from 56.7 to 78 million tons within the next decade, but “we’d like to see a more ambitious model run with a RGGI cap of 40 million tons by 2030,” said Environment America Program Manager Travis Madsen. “Six of the nine RGGI states have signed the Under 2 MOU,” which commits more than 100 national and subnational governments to cut emissions by up to 95% below 1990 levels by 2050.
A Sierra Club representative pointed to “dangerous loopholes” in the RGGI plan that would allow more greenhouse gases to be emitted. The initiative “has achieved reductions of 5% a year since it started,” but “we think RGGI needs 7.5% a year to meet emissions goals.” (h/t to the Georgetown Climate Center for pointing us to this story)
