GHG Reduction Technologies Monitor Vol. 10 No. 22
Visit Archives | Return to Issue
PDF
GHG Reduction Technologies Monitor
Article 3 of 6
May 29, 2015

World Resources Institute: Clean Power Plan Should be More Stringent

By Abby Harvey

Abby L. Harvey
GHG Monitor
5/29/2015

The United States could feasibly achieve much deeper emission reductions if the Environmental Protection Agency were to increase the stringency of its carbon emissions standards for existing coal-fired power plants, according to a report released this week by the World Resources Institute. The report addresses the U.S. goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. “While our analysis shows that the Clean Power Plan does not need to be strengthened in order to reduce economy-wide emissions by 26 percent below 2005 levels in 2025 (as long as ambitious action is taken across other emission sources), doing so would enable the United States to more easily achieve the upper range of its 2025 target and achieve deeper reductions beyond the 2025–30 time frame,” the report says, suggesting that a reduction of up to 52 percent below 2005 levels is achievable by 2030.

The report suggests the proposed regulation, which would require states to develop action plans to meet federally set emissions reduction goals, could be made more stringent and that the stringency of the regulation should continue to be adjusted in the future. “As technological innovation continues and renewable energy costs continue to decline going forward, EPA should revisit these targets periodically … to ensure that each state’s standard continues to reflect the full scope of opportunities in this sector,” the report says.

Carbon Price Necessary Long-Term

In order for the United States to achieve continued reductions post-2025, legislative action, likely in the form of a carbon price or cap-and-trade program will be necessary, according to WRI. “We find that climate legislation—together with targeted complementary policies across the economy—can reduce U.S. GHG emissions 40–42 percent below 2005 levels in 2030 and 50–53 percent in 2040. Reductions of this magnitude would require greater action from the power sector than is likely possible using existing laws,” the report says. “New legislation could establish a carbon price through a tax mechanism or a cap-and-trade program while a flexible national clean energy standard could effectively put a price on carbon in the power sector.”

Comments are closed.

Partner Content
Social Feed

NEW: Via public records request, I’ve been able to confirm reporting today that a warrant has been issued for DOE deputy asst. secretary of spent fuel and waste disposition Sam Brinton for another luggage theft, this time at Las Vegas’s Harry Reid airport. (cc: @EMPublications)

DOE spent fuel lead Brinton accused of second luggage theft.



by @BenjaminSWeiss, confirming today's reports with warrant from Las Vegas Metro PD.

Waste has been Emplaced! 🚮

We have finally begun emplacing defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste in Panel 8 of #WIPP.

Read more about the waste emplacement here: https://wipp.energy.gov/wipp_news_20221123-2.asp

Load More