GHG Emissions  -  October 2, 2020

Colorado releases plan for achieving emissions target

The State of Colorado will be focusing on accelerating the transition to electric vehicles and emphasizing the reduction of methane pollution from the oil and gas industry in order to achieve its 26% emissions reduction goal by 2025 and 50% reduction goal by 2030.

Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado released Sept. 30 a public comment of the state’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap, essentially outlining steps the state can take in order to reach its emissions reduction goals based on a 2005 baseline. The Roadmap identifies transportation as the leading source of emissions in Colorado, followed by electricity generation, oil and gas development and buildings.

The studies that informed the Roadmap found that in order to achieve the state’s 2025 and 2030 targets, Colorado will need to increase the transition to low-cost renewable energy and to electric vehicles and alternative means of transport. Colorado will also need to make buildings more efficient and invest in electrification for heating processes.

The governor signed into law the Colorado Action Plan to Reduce Pollution Act in May 2019, which established the state’s science-based emissions reduction targets and directed state agencies to develop a plan to meet these targets.

Since then, a coalition made up of the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) in partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs(DOLA) developed a baseline emissions inventory and projected a path to achieve the state’s emissions goals.

“Colorado is experiencing two of the three largest wildfires in the history of our state, and that’s just one of countless indicators that climate change presents an increasing threat to our economy and our way of life. From day one, my administration has prioritized a swift transition to renewable energy and bold climate action, and this Roadmap is a significant step forward to continue to reduce pollution for the benefit of the health and well-being of our communities and our economy,” Gov. Polis said in a statement. “We have taken historic steps towards our goals, and this Roadmap will help guide the critical efforts necessary to reap the full benefits of boldly and equitably transitioning to a clean energy economy. We look forward to acting boldly to protect our way of life, today and for generations to come.”

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