New Hampshire Climate Action Coalition

New Hampshire Receives Grade of D+ On Actions Taken to Reduce Global Warming Pollution: Report Card Highlights Need for More Aggressive Action in the State and Region

Concord - A “Report Card” released today by a coalition of environmental advocates in the United States and Canada has given New Hampshire a grade of “D plus” for its actions to reduce global warming pollution in the region.

“New Hampshire’s grade of ‘D plus’ shows that there is great room for improvement here if we are to make significant progress in reducing our share of the greenhouse gases causing climate disruption,” said Doug Bogen, NH program director for Clean Water Action, one of the groups doing the grading for the New Hampshire report card. “The state will have to expend greater effort in coming years to keep pace with its neighbors and do its part to meet the regional goals.”

The 2004 Report Card on Climate Change Action was written to gauge the progress of individual states and provinces in meeting the goals of the New England Governor’s / Eastern Canadian Premiers’ Climate Change Action Plan of 2001.

Recognizing the impacts of climate change on the region’s environment, economy and public health, in August of 2001 the Governors of the six New England states and the Premiers of the five eastern Canadian provinces committed the region to the following goals

- Reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010.

- Reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.

- Reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions by 75-85% in the long-term.

“There are some bright spots in New Hampshire’s work so far,” said Josh Irwin, director of NHPIRG. “But we are off the pace to meet our commitments. An absence of leadership from the Governor and the Legislature is hobbling the state’s effort to live up to those goals."

The Report Card released today highlights those areas in which New Hampshire has made progress since 2001, and those areas in which much more work is needed. The state has made some notable progress in that time, including setting a cap on carbon dioxide from the state’s older fossil-fueled power plants and producing an inventory of sources of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the following areas were listed a those where much more action is needed:

- Though a 2001 state study listed steps government and citizenry could take to reduce carbon pollution, it did not include comprehensive plan identifying policies and timelines necessary to reach the regionally agreed upon goals.

- Greenhouse gas pollution from transportation soared over the last decade in NH, yet little has been done little adopt a clean cars standard or make meaningful investments in alternative transportation.

- The state is doing little to develop renewable energy, such as a utility renewable portfolio standard.

- Demonstrable leadership is needed by the Administration to make further progress in New Hampshire toward fulfilling the New England Governors’ agreement.

The Report Card comes just one month after two states in the region Connecticut and Massachusetts finalized comprehensive plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their respective states. High grades in the report card went to Connecticut and Massachusetts in the U.S., and Quebec and Prince Edward Island in Canada. Each received a grade of “B minus.” Vermont tied New Hampshire for lowest score in the region, also receiving a grade of “D plus.”

"The New England states have often led the nation towards greater environmental protection and they aspire to that role regarding the fight against global warming, however this scorecard shows that this effort is still far more talk than action,” said Nancy Girard of the Conservation Law Foundation.

The New England Governors and eastern Canadian Premiers have plans to review their progress towards the goals of their 2001 Plan every 3 years, beginning in 2005. The authors of the Report Card hope that their recommendations will be used in evaluating next steps for the states and provinces.