Gov. Wolf Takes Another Strong Step, Committing to Limiting Climate Pollution in Pennsylvania

(Harrisburg, PA – January 8, 2019) Pennsylvania is continuing to step up as a climate leader with an announcement today to set the first-ever statewide goal to slash climate pollution.

Under the executive order signed by Governor Tom Wolf, Pennsylvania will work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent by 2025, and 80 percent by 2050, compared to 2005 levels.

“By setting these goals, Governor Tom Wolf is continuing to show he is ready to lead on climate even as the federal government sits on the sidelines,” said Mandy Warner, Senior Manager of Climate and Air Policy for Environmental Defense Fund. “Moving forward, developing enforceable climate pollution limits, for both carbon and methane, will be critical to ensure that Pennsylvania achieves these goals.”

The announcement comes at a time when Pennsylvania is feeling more harmful impacts from our changing climate, and comes on the same day it was reported that U.S. carbon emissions increased in 2018.

Pennsylvania is the third worst in the nation overall for climate pollution.

Last month, Pennsylvania announced it was joining the Transportation Climate Initiative, which will develop a policy to reduce climate pollution from the transportation sector in nine states and the District of Columbia. The goal is to put a firm limit on climate pollution that will decline over time.

Significant opportunities remain for pollution reductions from the power sector in Pennsylvania, which remains the only state from Maine to Virginia without a plan to cut greenhouse gases from that sector.