The 2022 Statewide Greenhouse Gas Report has been released by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The report details statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for 1990 – 2020, expressed in tons of carbon dioxide equivalents from all greenhouse gas emissions sources in the state.
The Climate Act requires the State to achieve a carbon-free electricity system by 2040 and reduce GHG emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050, setting a new standard for states and the nation to expedite the transition to a clean energy economy. The law drives investment in clean energy solutions such as wind, solar, energy efficiency, and energy storage and ensures that at least 40 percent of the clean energy investments benefit disadvantaged and low- to moderate-income communities.
On Monday, Dec. 19, the State Climate Action Council adopted the New York State Climate Action Council Scoping Plan, which outlines recommended policies and actions to help meet the goals and requirements of the Climate Act.
The 2022 Statewide Greenhouse Gas Report describes GHG statewide emissions, including those from electricity, industry, and agriculture. The Statewide GHG Report is unique in the U.S. for using the 20-year Global Warming Potential and including emissions associated with the generation of imported electricity and with the extraction and transmission of fossil fuels imported into the state. It also describes the contributions of the state’s forests and natural lands to collect and store carbon and to help the state reach its goal of net-zero emission by 2050.
The 2022 report also describes the significant effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had on GHGs, particularly a 20 percent drop in transportation emissions. The report notes that 2020 is likely not a representative year in terms of overall emission trends, due to the impact of the pandemic. DEC will provide updated information through 2021 in the 2023 report next year.
The annual emission totals provided will aid in tracking New York’s progress toward its 2030 and 2050 emissions limits established in the Climate Act, as codified in the Part 496 regulation DEC adopted in 2020.
The publication is available on DEC’s climate website.
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