State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow

The report examines state-level climate strategies in the U.S., finding that while 42 of 50 states have taken formal action, land use reform—specifically 'smart growth'—is the least common component compared to transportation and green building policies. It provides detailed profiles of individual state efforts, including greenhouse gas reduction targets and participation in regional initiatives like the Western Climate Initiative and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

• 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. Of these, 37 states were implementing a state climate action plan.
• Transportation practices are the most frequent element in state climate action plans, followed by green building policies, while specific smart growth practices are the least likely to be included.
• California is identified as a leader in progressive environmental policy, implementing legislation that integrates greenhouse gas reductions into urban planning through SB 375, which aligns transportation, housing, and regional land-use plans.
• Many states have adopted California's vehicle emissions standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles, with the EPA reversing its denial of California's waiver request on June 30, 2009.
• Several regional collaborations exist to coordinate climate goals, including the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord (MRGGRA).
• State-level greenhouse gas reduction targets vary widely, with some states aiming for 80 percent reductions below 1990 levels by 2050, such as California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
• A number of states, including Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming, were reported as having no formal state climate action plan as of the report's focus period.

APA

Sauer, A., & Johnston, M. (2009). State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/files/100709_state_plans_issuebrief.pdf

Chicago

Sauer, Amy, and Matt Johnston. State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2009. https://www.eesi.org/files/100709_state_plans_issuebrief.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sauer |first1=Amy |last2=Johnston |first2=Matt |title=State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=October 2009 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/100709_state_plans_issuebrief.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sauer2009state, author = {Sauer, Amy and Johnston, Matt}, title = {{State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2009}, month = oct, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/100709_state_plans_issuebrief.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }