How States Are Leading The Charge Against Climate Change
Words by Ryan Cheng
“The world is reaching the tipping point beyond which climate change may become irreversible. If this happens, we risk denying present and future generations the right to a healthy and sustainable planet – the whole of humanity stands to lose.”
Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of UN
When the Paris Agreement was signed on the 12th of December 2015, it was a watershed moment in history. For the first time, a binding agreement now brought together all nations within a multilateral process to combat and adapt to climate change.
Its goal?
To limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees celsius, in comparison to pre-industrial levels.
In the years that have followed, progress has been relatively slow.
As a matter of fact, 2015-2019 was the warmest five year period in human history.
According to the Science Advisory Group to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, there remains an “urgent need for the development of concrete actions that halt the worst effects of climate change.”
Instead, the developed world remains in a state of Stockholm Syndrome, dependent on the economic riches that come with fossil fuels.
However, this vice-like grip looks to be loosening as states begin to take action of their own.
National Failures
Germany remains Europe’s biggest consumer of coal, and energy transition to renewables has stalled.
According to Niklas Hohne – a climatologist, founding partner of the NewClimate Institute and creator of the Climate Action Tracker – China too is failing to live up to promises made in the Paris Agreement.
“China is still unfortunately failing at stopping the building of new coal-fired power plants,” Hohne says in an interview with PBS.
“China is not doing that only at home, they are also financing coal fired power plants outside of the country, so increasing emissions elsewhere.”
Closer to home, Australia is failing to create meaningful change. In 2019, Australia ended its contributions to the United Nations Green Climate Fund.
In the following year, the Climate Change Performance Index ranked Australia as “one of the worst, rating 0.0, on climate policy,” with numerous costly inactions and policy failures – including the repealing of the carbon tax in 2014.
Though it appears that global leadership is treading water in the battle against climate change, a new trend has begun to emerge.
As nations continue to be hamstrung by divisive rhetoric and adversarial governance, states and territories across the world are beginning to take climate action into their own hands.
The United States of America
In the face of impending climate destruction, the team at the Center for American Progress have applauded America’s state and local governments in rising to the “challenge and showing what leadership should look like.”
In April 2020, Virginia became the latest state in the country to enact 100 percent clean energy legislation, titled the “Virginia Clean Economy Act.” California is redesigning building standards to combat the disproportionate impact climate change will have on the less fortunate and underrepresented through the “Healthy Homes Act.”
Other states like New York, Colorado and Maine have introduced groundbreaking policies that guarantee “cuts in greenhouse gas pollution and to support front-line communities and workers in the energy transition.”
These examples of state leadership are evident across the country, further bolstered by nearly “4000 states, cities, organizations, and institutions committed to fulfilling America’s climate pledge to the Paris agreement.”
Province of British Columbia, Canada
The Government of British Columbia (BC) continues to lead the way in the far North, with their net-zero commitment – “CleanBC.”
This plan sets out a path for BC to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by the year 2030 with a further goal of net-zero by 2050.
An important commitment to change, CleanBC is further supplemented with a range of other initiatives including improved availability of electric/hybrid vehicles and rebates that promote this transition to a clean energy economy.
"In the following year, the Climate Change Performance Index ranked Australia as one of the worst, rating 0.0, on climate policy,”
"The Climate Change Action Plan outlines Victoria’s ambitious but achievable targets to reduce state carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 28–33% by 2025 and 45–50% by 2030."
Victoria, Australia
Though Australia continues to flounder on the international stage, our states and territories remain committed to the fight against climate change.
In Victoria, the State Government supported by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) recently released Victoria’s Climate Change Action Plan – a roadmap to net zero emissions and a climate resilient state by 2050.
Local Peoples had the privilege to work with DELWP to help bring the plan to life, creating two films along with digital communications to help share the story within parliament and the broader community.
The Climate Change Action Plan outlines Victoria’s ambitious but achievable targets to reduce state carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 28–33% by 2025 and 45–50% by 2030. To achieve said targets, the strategy is built on a framework that includes:
transitioning our state to a clean energy future that will create jobs, cut costs for households and businesses and strengthen our energy system
investing in innovative technologies, such as zero emissions vehicles and hydrogen, and partner with businesses and communities to set Victoria up for their adoption
recognising and safeguard the role of our natural environment in reducing emissions, and ensure our farmers are well placed to embrace new technologies and practices that reduce emissions
supporting Victorian businesses and communities to cut emissions and thrive in a net-zero emissions future.
This plan is set to position Victoria not only as a climate leader in Australia, but internationally as well.
So what can nations learn?
The above cases studies are a select few from many.
Stories of states, territories, cities, even collectives that remain committed to making a meaningful impact in the face of climate change.
Stories spanning various scales that should give cause for hope.
Beyond hope though, they represent important examples of leadership that demand to be acknowledged and replicated. All levels of government need to be aligned in the battle for our planet.
State and local governments need to continue accelerating their work on climate change. Federal governments need to heed the lessons learnt and action insights from their political counterparts.
Ambitious policy and determined lawmakers are required to finally move the needle on climate change.
Through continued inaction, as Kofi Annan said, the whole of humanity stands to lose.
But with coordinated action, we have everything to gain.