Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Clean Energy & Climate Change
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State Activities
States are taking significant action to curb greenhouse gases. In Region 9, California is leading a coalition of states in efforts to address climate change. EPA is working closely with all of our state partners to provide funding and to help assess and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This page provides information on current emissions inventories and state climate change activities.
The emissions from this region account for approximately 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, with California accounting for the vast majority of those emissions due to the high population in this state. Region 9 states have lower per capita emissions than the national average, in part reflecting the warmer climate and decreased need for heating in the winter. California and Arizona also produce less carbon intensive energy than the nation as a whole, partially due to the use of hydropower and nuclear in these states.
Sources for Carbon Intensity
- Energy Information Administration, Net Generation by State by Type of Producer by Energy Source (.xls file, 3.9MB)
- Energy Information Administration, U.S. Electric Power Industry Estimated Emissions by State (.xls file, 3.0MB)
State-By-State Comparison of Greenhouse Gas Policy
| Status of Energy and Climate Policies in the Pacific Southwest | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Policy | Arizona | California | Hawaii | Nevada |
| Greenhouse gas reduction goal | 2020: 2000 levels 2040: 50% below 2000 levels |
2020: 1990 levels | 2020: 1990 levels | |
| Renewable Portfolio Standard: Goal for the percent of power produced renewably | 2025: 15% | 2010: 20 % 2020: 33 % |
2010: 10% 2015: 15% 2020: 25% 2030: 40% |
2025: 25% |
| Regional initiatives | Western Climate Initiative, Southwest Climate Change Initiative | Western Climate Initiative | Western Climate Initiative | |
| Decoupled Utilities: Utilities receive profits for cutting energy consumption rather than increasing it | √ | |||
| Net metering: Distributed renewables tie into the grid, providing cost benefits to renewables producing at peak times | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Feed-in-Tariffs: Utilities or end-users fund renewable electricity by paying for production at above-market rates | √ | |||
| Energy Building Codes | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Source for this data: Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency |
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Additional Resources
| Region 9 NewsroomRegion 9 Programs | Grants & FundingUS-Mexico Border | Media CenterCareers | About Region 9A-Z Index |