Oregon's Progress on Slowing Global Warming
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Regional Initiatives
In 2003, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, along with the governors of Washington and California, announced the West Coast Governors' Global Warming Initiative. Since that time these states have worked together to reduce global warming pollution.
Recently, several more Western states and provinces have joined the bandwagon. February 2007, the governors of Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and New Mexico launched the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). WCI requires partners to set an overall regional goal to reduce emissions, develop a market-based, multi-sector mechanism to help achieve that goal, and participate in a cross-border greenhouse gas registry. As of August 2007, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Utah have also joined the WCI. The Initiative recently met its first goal -- to establish a regional carbon reduction target. This target is not as strong as our state goals, so Oregon stakeholders, including the Oregon Environmental Council, have urged Oregon to stick to its own aggressive path.
Read more about the Western Climate Initiative here:
- Western Climate Initiative FAQ [PDF: 48 KB]
- Western Climate Initiative Statement of Goals [PDF: 224 KB]
State Initiatives
In 2003, Governor Kulongoski convened an Advisory Group on Global Warming to recommend actions Oregon should take to combat global warming. The group’s recommendations were finalized at the end of 2004 and consolidated in the Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reductions [PDF]. The strategy sets greenhouse gas reduction goals for Oregon to meet by 2050. These are:
1. By 2010, arrest the growth of Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions (including, but not limited to CO2) and begin to reduce them, making measurable progress toward meeting the existing benchmark for CO2 not exceeding 1990 levels.
2. By 2020, achieve a 10% reduction below 1990 greenhouse gas levels.
3. By 2050, achieve a “climate stabilization emissions” level at least 75% below 1990 levels.
In 2007, these goals were codified in statute by the Oregon Legislature.
Recommended actions cover renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation, recycling, waste management and other areas. Many significant measures have been implemented or are in the process of being implemented, as per the timeline below:
2007: Climate Change Integration Act sets in statute state greenhouse gas emissions goals, establishes a statewide Global Warming Advisory Commission and creates a Climate Change Research Institute.
2007: Renewable Energy Standard adopted, requiring Oregon's largest utilities to acquire 25% of their electricity from new, homegrown renewable energy sources by 2025. Smaller Oregon utilities must meet smaller renewable energy targets of 5% or 10% of their electricity by 2025.
2007: Renewable Fuel Standard adopted, requiring minimum amounts of biodiesel (2%)and ethanol (10%) to be blended into all diesel and gasoline sold in the state (respectively) once minimum thresholds for in-state production of these renewable fuels are met.
2007: Western Climate Initiative launched.
2005: Clean car standards adopted. These tailpipe emission standards will cut global warming pollution from new cars and light-duty trucks by an average of 30% by 2016.
2004: Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reductions released.
2003: West Coast Governors’ Global Warming Initiative launched.
1997: First law in the U.S. aimed at reducing greenhouse gases enacted. This law requires new power plants built in Oregon to offset part of their CO2 emissions.
1992: State's first CO2 benchmark requires that the Oregon's CO2 emissions be held at 1990 levels. This benchmark is one of the Oregon Benchmarks measured by the Oregon Progress Board.
For more information on State of Oregon initiatives visit the Climate Change in Oregon Web Portal.
Local Initiatives
In 1993, Portland became the first local government in the U.S. to adopt a plan to address global warming. Since then several other cities and counties have taken action.