Sign up for E-Newsletter

Home » What's Being Done
Print this page

Inside What's Being Done

A Look at Emissions Targets

United States:

State & Regional
Proposed Federal Legislation
Bush Administration

International

Business

United States - State & Regional

Entity

Target

Notes and Source

Arizona: State-wide 2000 levels by 2020
50% below 2000 by 2040		 Executive Order 2006-13
California: State-wide

2000 levels by 2010
1990 levels by 2020
80% below 1990 by 2050

Executive Order S-3-05
California: Major industries state-wide 1990 levels by 2020 AB 32
Connecticut: State-wide 1990 levels by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020
75-85% below 2001 levels in the long term		 Connecticut Climate Change Action Plan
Florida: State-wide

2000 levels by 2017
1990 levels by 2025
80% below 1990 levels by 2050

EO 07-127
Florida: Electric Utilities

2000 levels by 2017
1990 levels by 2025
80% below 1990 levels by 2050

EO 07-127
Hawaii: State-wide 1990 levels by 2020 Act 234
Illinois: State-wide 1990 levels by 2020
60% below 1990 levels by 2050		 Press Release
Maine: State-wide 1990 levels by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020
75-80% below 2003 long-term 		LD 845 (HP 622)
Massachusetts: State-wide 1990 levels by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020
75-85% below 1990 long-term 		Massachusetts Climate Protection Plan of 2004
Massachusetts: Electric Utilities 10% below 1997-1999 CO2 target only.
310 CMR 7.29
Minnesota: State-wide

15% below 2005 levels by 2015
30% below 2005 levels by 2025
80% below 2005 levels by 2050

Next Generation Energy Act
New Hampshire: State-wide 1990 levels by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020
75-85% below 2001 long-term		 The Climate Change Challenge
New Hampshire: Electric Utilities 1990 levels by 2006 CO2 target only.
HB 284
New Jersey: State-wide 1990 levels by 2020
80% below 2006 levels by 2050		 Press release and executive order
New Mexico: State-wide 2000 levels by 2012
10% below 2000 by 2020
75% below 2000 by 2050		 Executive Order 05-033
New York: State-wide 5% below 1990 by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020		 State Energy Plan of 2002
Oregon: State-wide Stabilize by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020
75% below 1990 by 2050		 Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reductions
Rhode Island: State-wide 1990 levels by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020		 Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Action Plan
Vermont: State-wide 1990 levels by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020
75-85% below 2001 long-term		  
Washington: State-wide 1990 levels by 2020
25% below 1990 levels by 2035
50% below 1990 levels by 2050		 Executive Order 07-02

Western Climate Initiative

15% below 2005 levels by 2020 Western Climate Initiative Statement of Regional Goal
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: CO2 emissions from power plants

Cap emissions at current levels in 2009
Reduce emissions 10% by 2019.

Pew Center summary
New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers:
Regional economy-wide		 1990 levels by 2010
10% below 1990 by 2020
75-85% below 2001 long-term		 Climate Change Action Plan of 2001

United States - Proposed Federal Legislation

Entity

Target

Notes & Source

Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act
S.3036

4% below 2005 level by 2012
19% below 2005 level by 2020
71% below 2005 level by 2050 		 As introduced 5/2008

Low Carbon Economy Act (Bingaman-Specter)

S.1766

2012 level in 2012
2006 level in 2020
1990 level in 2030
President may set long-term target greater than or equal to 60% below 2006 level by 2050 contingent upon international effort

As introduced 7/2007
Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act (McCain-Lieberman)

S.280 		2004 level in 2012
1990 level in 2020
20% below 1990 level in 2030
60% below 1990 level in 2050		 As introduced 1/2007
Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (Sanders-Boxer)

S.309 		2010 level in 2010
2%/year reduction from 2010-2020
1990 level in 2020
27% below 1990 level in 2030
53% below 1990 level in 2040
80% below 1990 level in 2050		 As introduced 1/2007
Climate Stewardship Act (Olver-Gilchrest)

H.R.620		 2006 level in 2012
1990 level in 2020
22% below 1990 level in 2030
70% below 1990 level in 2050		 As introduced 1/2007
Global Warming Reduction Act (Kerry-Snowe)

S.485		 2010 level in 2010
1990 level in 2020
2.5%/year reduction from 2020-2029
3.5%/year reduction from 2030-2050
62% below 1990 level in 2050		 As introduced 2/2007
Safe Climate Act of 2007 (Waxman)

H.R.1590 		2009 level in 2010
2%/year reduction from 2011-2020
1990 levels in 2020
5%/year reduction from 2020-2029
5%/year reduction from 2030-2050
80% below 1990 levels in 2050 		As introduced 3/2007
Electric Utility Cap and Trade Act (Feinstein-Carper)

S.317 		2006 level in 2011
2001 level in 2015
1%/year reduction from 2016-2019
1.5%/year reduction starting in 2020 (may be adjusted by Administrator)

Electricity sector; all GHGs

As introduced 1/2007

Clean Air Climate Change Act of 2007 (Alexander-Lieberman)

S.1168 		2300 MMT CO2 (approx. 2006 level) from 2011-2014
2100 MMT CO2 (approx. 1997 level) from 2015-2019
1800 MMT CO2 (approx.1990 level) from 2020-2024
1500 MMT CO2 (approx.17% below 1990 level) from 2025 forward		 Electricity sector; 4 pollutants

As introduced 4/2007
Clean Air Planning Act of 2007 (Carper)

S. 1177 		2006 CO2 level in 2012-2014
2001 CO2 level in 2015
1%/year reduction CO2 level from 2016-2019
1.5%/year reduction CO2 levels starting in 2020
1.5%/year reduction CO2 levels starting in 2020 (may be adjusted by Administrator to 3% in 2030 & beyond)
25% below 1990 CO2 level in 2050		 Electricity sector; 4 pollutants

As introduced 4/2007
Clean Power Act of 2007 (Sanders)

S. 1201

Goal is to facilitate the worldwide stabilization of atmospheric concentrations of global warming pollutants at 450ppm CO2e by 2050*

2300 MMT CO2 (approx. 2006 level) by 2011
2100 MMT CO2 (approx. 1997 level) by 2015*
1803 MMT CO2 (approx. 1990 level) by 2020*
1500 MMT CO2 (approx. 17% below 1990 level) by 2025*

* If Congress has not passed, and the President has not signed, legislation to address 85% of GHG emissions economy-wide by 2012, further 3%/year reduction in CO2 limits until global GHG emissions reach 450ppm.

Electricity sector; 4 pollutants

As introduced 4/2007

United States - Bush Administration

Entity

Target

Notes & Source

Voluntary "greenhouse gas intensity" target for the U.S. 18% below 2002 intensity levels by 2012 Announced 2/14/2002
Pew Center Analysis

International

Entity

Target

Notes & Source

Australia

8% above 1990 by 2008-2012

Kyoto Target

Canada

6% below 1990 by 2008-2012

Kyoto Target

European Community

8% below 1990 by 2008-2012

Kyoto Target

Japan

6% below 1990 by 2008-2012

Kyoto Target

New Zealand

1990 levels by 2008-2012

Kyoto Target

United Kingdom

20% below 1990 by 2020
60% below 1990 by 2050

CO2 target only.
Energy White Paper of 2003

European Community
Kyoto Bubble Targets[i]

Target for 2008-2012

European Community Council Decision of April 2002

Austria

13% below 1990

 

Belgium

7.5% below 1990

 

Denmark

21% below 1990

 

Finland

1990 levels

 

France

1990 levels

 

Germany

21% below 1990

 

Greece

25% above 1990

 

Ireland

13% above 1990

 

Italy

6.5% below 1990

 

Luxembourg

28% below 1990

 

Netherlands

6% below 1990

 

Portugal

27% above 1990

 

Spain

15% above 1990

 

Sweden

4% above 1990

 

United Kingdom

12.5% below 1990

 

[i] The EU-15 nations have joined a "bubble" which allows the joint fulfillment of emissions commitments and preserves the collective emissions reduction goal of 8% below 1990 levels by 2008/2012

Business

The Pew Center's Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC) is a group of leading companies worldwide that are responding to the challenges posed by climate change. This section provides a sampling of GHG reduction targets set by these companies. Through their efforts, they are demonstrating that GHG emissions can be reduced significantly and cost-effectively.