New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Photo: John Paraskevas/Newsday via Getty Images
New York is on the cusp of passing the nation's most aggressive climate and energy law.
Why it matters: The deal that emerged between lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo early this week is among the most striking examples of states enacting tougher policies as the White House unwinds federal efforts.
- California, building on existing mandates, enacted legislation last year requiring all state power to be carbon-free by 2045.
- A cap-and-trade plan with steep reduction targets is heading toward passage in Oregon.
The big picture: "The agreement to pass the so-called Climate & Communities Protection Act calls for New York to eliminate 85% of its overall planet-warming emissions by 2050, while offsetting or capturing the other 15%," HuffPost reports.
Where it stands: New York has small per-capita emissions compared to the country overall, but as of 2016 the populous state ranked 9th in overall energy-related CO2 output, per the Energy Information Administration.
- New York is also under unified Democratic control after the party regained the state's Senate in 2018.
- In addition to the economy-wide cuts, the bill requires 70% renewable power by 2030 and zero-emissions power overall by 2040, according to several reports.
Go deeper: The limits of local fights against climate change