{"id":23519,"date":"2023-09-15T10:16:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T15:16:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=23519"},"modified":"2025-12-02T16:45:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T21:45:58","slug":"new-analysis-shows-that-in-a-decisive-decade-for-climate-action-oregon-must-aim-higher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2023\/09\/15\/new-analysis-shows-that-in-a-decisive-decade-for-climate-action-oregon-must-aim-higher\/","title":{"rendered":"New analysis shows that, in a decisive decade for climate action, Oregon must aim higher"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last legislative session, Oregon\u2019s lawmakers had the opportunity to update Oregon\u2019s statutory climate targets<\/a>. This would have been the first time that Oregon updated its outdated climate targets in 15 years and would have brought Oregon\u2019s climate goals in line with the level of ambition of President Biden\u2019s national climate targets and from other climate leadership states.<\/p>\n

But then, Oregon\u2019s legislative session was stalled by a small group of state Senators who fled the Capitol instead of fulfilling their core responsibility as elected officials: to represent their constituents by casting votes in the legislative process. This walkout tactic has been used time and time again and has prevented climate action supported by a majority of Oregonians<\/a>. This year\u2019s walkouts \u2014 the longest in Oregon\u2019s history \u2014 prevented Oregon from updating its climate goals.<\/p>\n

Without updated climate goals in place, Oregon risks falling short of securing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions that are needed to avoid the most dangerous, irreversible impacts of climate change. Oregon has made important progress in regulating emissions, as one of the states leading the way on cutting pollution from the power sector, the transportation sector, and natural gas fuels \u2014 but new analysis by EDF has found that without additional action, Oregon is projected to fall short of achieving its climate commitments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here’s what to know about the analysis and next steps Oregon can take to raise the bar for climate action.<\/p>\n

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What does EDF\u2019s emissions gap analysis show?<\/h3>\n

Twenty-four states, including Oregon, have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the U.S. Climate Alliance or through state-specific policies. To understand the progress made by these climate leadership states, EDF conducted an analysis<\/a> based on data from Rhodium group comparing business-as-usual (BAU) emissions projections to each state\u2019s climate commitments. These estimates are used to evaluate the emissions \u201cgap\u201d \u2014 the difference between state commitments to reduce emissions, and projected emissions under current state policy \u2014 through 2030.<\/p>\n

EDF\u2019s estimates include projected emissions reductions associated with all state policies in place as of June 2022 and include GHG abatement expected from both the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). For Oregon, this includes critical policies and programs that are actively delivering emissions reductions, including Oregon\u2019s Clean Energy Targets bill<\/strong><\/a>, which requires electric utilities to cut their emissions 80% from baseline levels by 2030, 90% by 2035, and 100% by 2040, and Oregon\u2019s Climate Protection Program<\/strong><\/a>, which requires emissions from transportation fuels and natural gas fuels to be reduced 50% from baseline by 2035 and 90% by 2050.<\/p>\n

But even with these important programs in place, EDF\u2019s analysis found that Oregon is falling short of the level of climate ambition required to achieve emissions reductions at the pace and scale needed to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change<\/strong>. Here\u2019s how EDF\u2019s analysis projects Oregon\u2019s emissions reductions will stack up against the President Biden\u2019s national climate goals under the U.S. Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the U.S. Climate Alliance\u2019s 2025 target:<\/p>\n

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EDF\u2019s analysis finds that Oregon will cut statewide emissions between 12% and 16% from 2005 levels by 2025, missing the 2025 U.S. Climate Alliance goal of a 26% reduction by 2025. The state is also projected to cut emissions between 23% and 29% from 2005 levels by 2030, missing the U.S. NDC goal of a 50% reduction by 2030. On top of this, Oregon is still 19% behind on achieving the state\u2019s 2020 climate goal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Oregon has made critical progress in reducing emissions, and every bit of avoided climate pollution is important \u2014 but the state still has an emissions gap, meaning that the state must continue to raise its ambition in order to follow through on its climate commitments<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

How can Oregon close the emissions gap and turn its climate commitments into reality?<\/h3>\n

We\u2019re at a critical moment in Oregon\u2019s climate fight. The Oregon Health Authority recently released a report detailing how climate-related events are already adding strain to the state\u2019s medical system<\/a>, with heat-related illnesses and deaths becoming more and more frequent. Intensifying wildfires continue to impact lives and livelihoods \u2014 with approximately 1.3 million acres burned<\/a> by wildfires in Oregon in 2021 and 2022, and an overall increase in cumulative smoke exposure. The science is clear that all pathways to a more stable climate involve rapid, deep and swift greenhouse gas emissions reductions in all sectors this decade<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Oregon has long been a leader on climate policy but needs to level up ambition to close the gap<\/strong> between projected emissions and the level of action we know is needed to protect the lives and livelihoods of Oregonians. Here\u2019s how Oregon can close the gap:<\/p>\n