State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Are Built

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how U.S. state climate action plans incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009.

• As of July 2009, 42 of the 50 U.S. states had taken formal steps to address climate change, either through a statewide climate action plan or a regional agreement. Specifically, 37 states were implementing a state climate action plan, while five of the 13 states without formal plans had joined regional agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Among the land use policies analyzed in state plans, transportation practices were the most common, followed by green building policies. Smart growth practices were the least frequent component, although they were more likely to appear in plans that featured the most comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction measures.
• Common transportation policies in state plans include the adoption of California's vehicle emissions standard, the expansion of mass transit, and incentives to reduce commuter vehicle miles traveled. Green building policies typically focus on appliance standards, stronger building codes, and financial incentives for energy-efficient materials.
• California is identified as a leader in progressive environmental policy and is implementing legislation regarding climate change, energy, transportation, and land use.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2009). State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Are Built. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-state-actions-on-climate-change-a-focus-on-how-our-communities-

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Are Built. 2009. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-state-actions-on-climate-change-a-focus-on-how-our-communities-.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Are Built |date=14 October 2009 |url=https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-state-actions-on-climate-change-a-focus-on-how-our-communities- |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2009state, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Are Built}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2009}, month = oct, url = {https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-state-actions-on-climate-change-a-focus-on-how-our-communities-}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }