State and Local Climate Change Resource Center

Compilation of Databases of State and Local Initiatives on Climate Change, Renewable Energy, and Efficiency

In the absence of Congressional action on climate change, state and municipal governments across the country have taken action, adopting laws and policies on climate change, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.  A number of sources do an excellent job in tracking these numerous state and local actions; this page links to what we have found to be some of the most useful databases. A downloadable version of this compilation is available here.

Local laws intended to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions have recently proliferated as part of a municipal-level response to climate change. Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law has prepared databases of many of these municipal laws relating specifically to green building, solar energy, wind energy, and energy efficiency.  The Municipal Model Ordinances Databases is available here.

 

Center for Climate Strategies Logo ACEE C40 in green on black background Entrance of Old City Hall with an Amerian Flag
Center for Climate Strategies

Features an interactive map with information on state action plans and allows side-by-side comparisons of state climate change plans.
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEE) State Scorecard

The Scorecard features an interactive map that provides state specific actions on energy efficiency.
C-40 Cities, Climate Leadership Group

Provides a list of participating cities around the world with links to Climate Change Action Plans and information on plan targets.
CCCL Municipal Law Databases of Renewable Resources

Databases of municipal ordinances and model ordinances for green building, alternative energy, and energy efficiency.

 

DSIRE on red background GU on blue background ICLEI logo on blue background Entrance of Old City Hall with an Amerian Flag
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE)

Interative map with information on financial incentives and rules, regulations, and policies available in each state.
Georgetown Climate Center (GCC)

The State Climate Action page features news and updates on state climate actions.  Presentations & Reports provides links to relevant GCC articles and presentations.
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) – Local Governments for Sustainability

ICLEI’s Resources page provides links to case studies of hundreds of local governments (U.S. and international) and annual reports.
ICLEI and the City of Copenhagen

The City Climate Catalogue includes an interactive world map of local commitments (U.S. and international) to reduce carbon emissions, including details about the target emissions reductions.

 

 

DSIRE on red background GU on blue background NACAA on white background with wavy lines NGA logo on blue background
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG)

The COG Regional Climate Change Program includes a catalogue of greenhouse gas reduction activities underway as well as climate change publications.
Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC)

Links to laws, executive orders, ordinances and resolutions related to climate change, green task forces, energy efficiency, planning, sample land use plans, climate action plans and other resources.
National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA)

NACAA provides a compiled chart of state greenhouse gas actions and a report on state greenhouse gas permitting actions and response to EPA’s climate rules.
National Governors Association (NGA)

NGA’s website features a U.S. map with links to state clean energy actions. The website also includes a link to NGA’s report, Clean and Secure State Energy Actions: 2010 Update, which examines clean energy activities in all 50 states, as well as U.S. territories and commonwealths.

 

 

New America black and white logo DEC circular logo North Carolina State Outline PACE logo
New America Foundation

New America Foundation’s State Climate Policy Tracker is a spreadsheet that lists the actions states have included in their climate action plans, their cost or cost-saving potential and the estimated reduction in carbon emissions expected on an annual basis.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

The Climate Smart Communities page includes a link to a list of the 85 communities in New York State that have adopted DEC’s Climate Smart Communities pledge.
North Carolina Climate Action Plan Advisory Group (CAPAG)

CAPAG provides a list of state action plans, together with links to the state government websites on climate change or other climate change advisory groups within those states.  The Climate Change – Policy page also includes examples of regional climate initiatives.
Pace Law School, Center for Environmental Legal Studies

Compiles state legislation, rules and executive orders that specifically address climate change as of the end of April 2010, and surveys a wide variety of state activities that may have an impact on greenhouse gases.

 

 

DSIRE on red background GU on blue background ICLEI logo on blue background Entrance of Old City Hall with an Amerian Flag
Pace Law School, Land Use Law Center

The Gaining Ground Information Database features methods used by governments to control the use of land in the public interest.  It includes examples of federal, state, and local ordinances, commentaries, research papers and research aids.
Pace University, Municipal Law Resource Center (MLRC)

The Hot Topic: Climate Change and Municipal Green Legislation page provides links to municipal ordinances, website resources and an index of articles available for review at MLRC.
Pew Center for Global Climate Change

The U.S. States & Regions page features news (In Focus), a U.S. map with links to state-specific climate actions, and related blog posts and publications.
Seventh Generation Advisors (SGA)

State Building Blocks provide examples of climate change action processes and a list of states currently implementing those processes.  Regional Carbon Market Initiatives provide information on the three regional initiatives to tackle climate change.

 

 

DOE logo DOE logo EPA logo Entrance of Old City Hall with an Amerian Flag
United States Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)

The EERE State Activities & Partnerships home page includes news about state involvement in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.  The States with Renewable Portfolio Standards page features a U.S. map with links to each state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS).
EERE Industrial Technologies Program, State Incentives and Resource Database

EERE’s State Incentives and Resource Database allows the user to search for state, local, and regional incentives for the implementation of energy savings projects.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The State and Local Climate and Energy Program page features maps with links to State Examples and Local Examples, including case studies, GHG inventories, and climate action plans.  The State & Regional Climate Policy Tracking page includes maps that provide a summary of state activity across a range of climate change and clean energy policy areas.

Last updated 2011.