The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, www.rggi.org) was established several years ago by Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont “to support the development and implementation of each RGGI State’s CO2 Budget Trading Program” using a cap-and-trade mechanism to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
In the last couple of months, Gov. Tom Wolf, directly or indirectly, has taken two actions to make Pennsylvania a “greener” state. In mid-December, the state joined the RGGI states in agreeing to abide by a regional plan to cut transportation emissions (www.transportationandclimate.org). Then, on Jan. 8, the governor signed an executive order that commits Pennsylvania to setting targets to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Two cheers for the governor! To get the third cheer, he should find a way for the state to fully join RGGI.
At Citizens’ Climate Lobby, we believe that the real key to slowing the increase of the planet’s temperature is to enact the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (www.energyinnovationact.org), which has been introduced in both houses of Congress in Washington with bipartisan support. It’s a better way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions than a cap-and-trade process; but given the strong headwinds inside the Beltway, getting local and state governments to do more to save the planet makes a lot sense.
I look forward to giving the governor a third cheer in the near future.
Bruce Cooper
Adams
The writer is group leader of the regional chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby based in Slippery Rock.