Nevada's 2020 State Climate Strategy
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NEVADA’S 2020 STATE CLIMATE STRATEGY BUILDS A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE CLIMATE ACTION “Home means Nevada,”and climate change has hit home. By acting on climate, the state can move toward addressing Nevadans’ concerns and build a better future with cleaner air, better health, an equitable society, economic stability, renewable energy, and a cleaner environment for everyone. Check out our website: www.climateaction.nv.gov CLIMATE ACTION The overarching goals of the Nevada is committed to reducing GHG emissions, which 2020 State Climate Strategy are to: contribute directly to climate change. With the passage of SB 254 in 2019, Nevada adopted aggressive GHG emissions-reduction targets: 28% by 2025, 45% by 2030, and net-zero (near-zero) 1. Provide a framework for reducing by 2050. Nevada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) Under Gov. Sisolak’s executive order on climate change, state emissions across all economic sectors, agencies were directed to develop Nevada’s first-everState 2. Lay the groundwork for climate adaptation Climate Strategy. The 2020 State Climate Strategy informs policymaking on how Nevada will achieve the ambitious targets and resilience, and established by SB 254 and provides an integrated framework for 3. Establish a structure for continued, evaluating climate policies that make sense for Nevada. ongoing climate action across the state. The State Climate Strategy was developed using the best available science, combined with robust input from thousands of Nevadans. CLIMATE JUSTICE Across the United States and in Nevada, low-income communities, people of color, and Indigenous populations have disproportion- ately borne the burden of climate change impacts. As temperatures continue to rise and climate-related challenges expand and intensify, particular attention must be paid to these vulnerable populations. Through climate action, there is the opportunity to reconcile the social justice challenges Nevadans face. NEVADA’S CLIMATE LEGACY Under the leadership of Gov. Sisolak, Nevada is accelerating efforts to achieve a clean, sustainable, and climate-resilient future for all Nevadans. The State Climate Strategy is just the beginning of Nevada’s long-term commitment to combating climate change. NEVADA’S 2020 STATE CLIMATE STRATEGY SNAPSHOT THE PATH TOWARD NET-ZERO GHG EMISSIONS The 2020 State Climate Strategy provides an integrated framework for evaluating climate mitigation policies. The policies contemplated were drawn from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s 2019 GHG inventory, which includes a catalog of policy options that could further reduce statewide GHG emissions, as required by SB 254. Transportation Electricity Industry Residential & Commercial Land Use & Land Change Monitoring, Modeling, and Managing GHG Emissions To support a comprehensive and consistent evaluation of GHG emissions-reduction benefits from policies across the state, the State of Nevada’s capability to inventory GHG emissions would need to expand. NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE Harmonization of local, regional, state, and oftentimes federal Over 75% of climate survey policies is necessary in order to realize significant GHG reductions. respondents in Nevada Identifying and addressing interconnected issues will help avoid indicated they are “very conflicting policies, optimize investments, bolster the resilience of 75% concerned” about climate infrastructure and communities across the state, and ensure that change, and ranked drought, Nevada achieves net-zero GHG emissions. wildfire, and air quality as their top three concerns. NEVADA’S CLIMATE GOVERNANCE “ For the sake of our future, and our children’s State governments across the United States committed to climate future, we must take bold action to stem the action have adopted different governance approaches to address negative impacts of climate change while climate change within their organizational structures. The following guiding principles should be considered in a design appropriate moving quickly to capture the economic for Nevada: intergovernmental and interagency coordination, benefits of creating sustainable communities stakeholder and community engagement, executive leadership throughout Nevada.” and staff, adaptive governance, science-based climate assessment, – Governor Sisolak and dedicated resources. INVESTING IN A CLIMATE-FRIENDLY FUTURE By meeting the state’s emission reduction targets, Nevada would prevent between $172 and $786 million in economic damages by Prior to the COVID-19 driven 2030 and up to $4 billion by 2050. Climate action and economic economic downturn, Nevada development activities in Nevada are intrinsically linked and can outpaced the nation in clean be strategically integrated to achieve their respective goals. As 45.5% energy job growth between the state emerges from the pandemic, climate-conscious economic 2016-2019; 45.5% increase development efforts and investments can spur the expansion of in clean energy jobs, according renewable energy, reduce emissions, build climate resilience, and to the U.S. Climate Alliance. expand the use of sustainable resources, all while creating valuable new jobs and skilled workforces. www.climateaction.nv.gov | @NevClimate #NevClimateAction | [email protected] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2020 State Climate Strategy builds a foundation for future climate action under the State of Nevada Climate Initiative. The overarching goals of the 2020 Climate Strategy are to: 1. Provide a framework for reducing Nevada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all economic sectors 2. Lay the groundwork for climate adaptation and resilience, and 3. Establish a structure for continued, ongoing climate action across the state. CLIMATE CHANGE HAS COME HOME TO NEVADA “Home Means Nevada,” and climate change has hit home. Already, droughts have grown more severe, the snowpack is disappearing, and water supplies are at risk. As temperatures continue to rise, heat waves are expected to increase in frequency and duration, posing signicant risks to the health of urban communities—particularly vulnerable populations and outdoor workers. Air quality is already a concern across the state, and increasing risks of wildre and drought, combined with more heat, could create additional health problems related to air pollution. Swift action must be taken to proactively bolster climate adaptation and resilience planning and to reduce GHG emissions. By acting on climate, the state can move toward addressing Nevadans’ concerns and build a better future with cleaner air, better health, an equitable society, economic stability, renewable energy, and a cleaner environment for everyone. Climate Justice Across the United States and in Nevada, low-income communities, people of color, and Indigenous populations have disproportionately borne the burden of climate change impacts. As temperatures continue to rise and climate-related challenges expand and intensify, particular attention must be paid to these vulnerable populations. Through climate action, there is the opportunity to reconcile the social justice challenges Nevadans face. CLIMATE ACTION With the vision of ensuring a vibrant, climate-resilient future for Nevada, Governor Sisolak launched the State of Nevada Climate Initiative (NCI) in the summer of 2020. As the home of Nevada-wide climate action, the NCI is committed to reducing Nevada’s GHG emissions and dedicated to achieving resilient communities that are prepared to successfully adapt to a changing environment and climate. Under Gov. Sisolak’s executive order on climate change, state agencies were directed to develop Nevada’s rst-ever State Climate Strategy establishing a framework to advance Nevada-wide climate action for a healthy, sustainable, resilient future. The State Climate Strategy was developed using the best available science, combined with robust input from thousands of Nevadans through a series of listening sessions on a full range of climate topics, a climate survey, consultation with subject-matter experts, stakeholder convenings, webinars, and more. 2020 STATE CLIMATE STRATEGY SNAPSHOT THE PATH TO REACH NET-ZERO GHG EMISSIONS BY 2050 New mitigation-focused policies, programs, investments, and regulations are needed to put the state on the path toward realizing net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Nevada is committed to reducing GHG emissions, which contribute directly to climate change. With the passage of SB 254 in 2019, Nevada adopted aggressive GHG emissions- reduction targets: 28% by 2025, 45% by 2030, and net-zero (near-zero) by 2050. These targets are in line with neighboring states in the region and are an important step toward managing climate change. Nevada has a jump start on meeting these targets by embracing its abundant renewable resources to generate clean electricity under the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS). However, there is still much work to do across all sectors of Nevada’s economy. Nevada’s GHG emissions inventory mirrors trends occurring across the western United States, where transportation-sector emissions (35%) now exceed those from the energy sector (32%), historically the largest source of GHG emissions. Industrial, residential, and commercial emissions are growing rapidly, while those associated with other sectors remain relative consistent. To reduce and ultimately eliminate GHG emissions, Nevada will need to take bold and decisive action. Under current policies and based on the best available science, Nevada is currently on a path to reduce economy-wide GHG emissions 24% by 2025