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This winter Environment Illinois released a major study showing how Illinois can reduce our global warming pollution by 25 percent through state-based clean energy policies.
The report, “A Blueprint for Action: Policy Options to Reduce Illinois’ Contribution to Global Warming,” found that Illinois could make major strides by adopting a series of policy strategies to make the state more energy-efficient, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and generate cleaner electricity.
“Illinois can make the transition to clean energy that is necessary to prevent dangerous global warming impacts, but we must begin now,” said Rebecca Stanfield, Environment Illinois’ state director. “This report shows how 13 common-sense clean energy policies can add up to a major near-term reduction in global warming pollution.”
Reducing carbon dioxide emissions
Illinois is the nation’s sixth largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the leading pollutant associated with global warming. That’s up 17 percent since 1990.
Under a business as usual scenario, our emissions will climb another 12 percent by 2025.
The largest source of carbon dioxide is the fleet of coal-burning power plants throughout the state, and the second largest source is the emissions from transportation sources. Illinois has 5.6 million cars registered to drive on state highways, the seventh highest number in the nation.
“Illinoisans can make a significant contribution to the global effort to stop global warming by addressing our own emissions in state,” said Stanfield. “On the flipside, if we are not proactive, our businesses and economy will be tied to an energy system that is obsolete when the inevitable national regulatory regime is adopted.”
Over the past year, states have been on the forefront of global warming policy, creating models that Illinois can use and adapt for our state’s unique circumstances.
For example, California’s Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has set a goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. California has also adopted the first enforceable cap to achieve the 2020 goal.
Ten states have adopted global warming pollution limits for automobiles. Eight states have set emission caps for their electric power industry, requiring a 10 percent reduction by 2019.
Policies to reduce global warming
There are numerous tools available to Illinois to reduce global warming pollution. Among the options are the following 13 policies:
1. Adopt the clean cars program, which will put increasing numbers of hybrid-electric cars on Illinois’ roads and impose limits on vehicle carbon dioxide emissions.
2. Require the sale of energy-saving replacement tires that improve vehicle efficiency without negatively affecting safety.
3. Require automobile insurers to offer pay-as-you-drive automobile insurance, in which insurance rates are calculated by the mile, rewarding those who drive less while potentially reducing accidents.
4. Reduce the number of automobile commutes by requiring large employers to develop programs to discourage single-passenger commuting and provide employees with more transportation options.
5. Adopt policies that would reduce growth in vehicle miles traveled by cars and light trucks on Illinois’ highways, such as measures to reduce sprawling development and encourage the use of transit and other transportation alternatives.
6. Establish a renewable fuels standard, such that a portion of motor fuel, both gasoline and diesel, comes from renewable sources.
7. Adopt strong statewide residential building energy codes.
8. Adopt strong energy-efficiency standards for appliances and equipment.
9. Increase funding for energy-efficiency programs.
10. Expand use of combined heat and power, in which commercial and industrial facilities use the same energy to generate both electricity and useful heat.
11. Adopt a renewable energy standard to increase the amount of clean, renewable energy consumed in the state.
12. Adopt a carbon cap on emissions from the electricity sector.
13. Adopt measures to reduce government energy use and promote the use of clean energy in government buildings.
Adoption of these strategies would reduce global warming pollution while improving Illinois’ energy efficiency and spurring the development of renewable sources of energy.
Benefits to the economy, quality of life
Many of the clean energy policies that reduce global warming pollution also provide economic and quality of life benefits such as reduced energy bills, green space preservation, air quality improvements, reduced traffic congestion, improved transportation choices, and economic development and job creation through energy conservation and new energy technologies.
“In other words, a lot of the things we can do to stop global warming we should be doing anyway for economic, national security and environmental benefits,” said Stanfield.
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