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Alliance members know firsthand that use of the social cost of greenhouse gases (SC-GHG) provides a strong foundation for decision-makers to assess the benefits of GHG reductions by accounting for the true cost of climate change damages. We have collectively committed to considering the societal and environmental impacts of GHG emissions in our efforts and already, 17 Alliance states have incorporated the SC-GHG in their policymaking, including in electric power sector planning and resource compensation. Importantly, our work at the state level is informed by guidance from the IWG as well as the academic and scientific communities.
We support EPA’s updated estimates for the SC-GHG in its draft report, The Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases: Estimates Incorporating Recent Scientific Advances. These estimates are informed by the latest science, account for global damage estimates, and include an appropriate range of discount rates.
Launched on June 1, 2017 by the governors of Washington, New York, and California to help fill the void left by the previous administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, the Alliance has grown to include 24 governors from across the U.S. representing approximately 60% of the U.S. economy and 55% of the U.S. population. Governors in the Alliance have pledged to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025, at least 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and collectively achieve overall net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as practicable, and no later than 2050.
The Alliance’s states and territories continue to demonstrate that climate action goes hand-in-hand with economic growth, job creation, and better public health. While reducing collective greenhouse gas emissions by 19%, Alliance members increased their collective GDP by 30%. The coalition’s states and territories are employing more workers in the clean energy sector, achieving lower levels of dangerous air pollutants, and preparing more effectively for climate impacts and executing more pre-disaster planning than the rest of the country.
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