In the U.S., many state governments have recognized the need for action on climate change. A range of elected officials and other public leaders are finding that climate action — namely, reducing greenhouse gas emissions — is an arena in which they can demonstrate leadership by proactively launching a smart public planning process.

Our Work

The Pembina Institute's work in the U.S. has focused on developing recommendations for actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the state level. Our team has joined forces more than 20 senior policy analysts through the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) to provide support to elected officials and other public leaders at the state level.

Working with CCS, we use a stakeholder process — based on education, consensus building and joint research — to identify and develop a portfolio of climate mitigation options. The process is tailored to address the needs and preferences of individual states, and draws on the experience of local stakeholders and the CCS team to deliver a timely, relevant process.

A process typically comprises the following aspects:

1. Convening state officials and representatives from key stakeholder groups to build initial consensus around technical issues.
2. Facilitating the development of potential policy solutions through regular meetings and discussions supported by technical analysis.
3. Providing a detailed report with advisory group recommendations to state cabinet officials, who then work with the governor to implement actions.

The CCS public process delivers actions. In 2006, CCS completed stakeholder processes in both New Mexico and Arizona and delivered final reports including 69 recommended actions for New Mexico and 49 for Arizona. Within two months of delivery of the New Mexico final report, the State issued an Executive Order that supported many of the actions. The Arizona Government is also developing an Executive Order based on the recommendations.

Members of the Center for Climate Strategies team have played a principal role in virtually every state and regional climate policy process since 2000. Staff from the Pembina Institute have participated in initiatives with the the following states and partnerships:

• Colorado

• Montana

• North Carolina

• Pennsylvania

• Western Regional Air Partnership

The Pembina Institute specifically contributes to the CCS team by

• developing estimates of historic amounts of greenhouse gas emissions (inventories) and providing projections for future amounts of emissions (forecasts)

• providing technical facilitation to stakeholder groupsthat are developing recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information, contact

Alison Bailie

• Senior Technical and Policy Advisor
• Email: alisonb(at)pembina.org
  Phone: 604-875-8558 Ext. 222