Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020

The 2015 update to the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020 (CECP Update) outlines a comprehensive strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 25% below 1990 levels by 2020. The plan identifies key drivers for these reductions, most notably vehicle GHG emission standards and the import of clean electricity. It also provides a framework for long-term goals, aiming for an 80% reduction by 2050 through a strategy of reducing energy consumption, decarbonizing the electricity supply, and electrifying transportation and heating. The report includes detailed assessments of building efficiency, transportation, electricity generation, and non-energy emissions, as well as research on land use and carbon storage in terrestrial and wetland ecosystems.

• Massachusetts GHG emissions decreased by 24% between 1990 and 2012, falling from 94.5 MMTCO2e in 1990 to 72 MMTCO2e in 2012, primarily due to reductions in fuel combustion emissions.
• The electricity sector has been the primary source of emission reductions since 1990, largely due to a shift from coal and oil to natural gas for power generation, which resulted in a net reduction of approximately 12 MMTCO2e.
• Transportation is the only fuel combustion sector that has seen an increase in emissions since 1990, as gains in vehicle efficiency have been offset by an increase in the total amount of driving.
• Full implementation of the policies in the CECP Update is projected to reduce GHG emissions by 25.0 MMTCO2e (26.4% of 1990 levels) by 2020, making the 25% reduction goal attainable.
• The two most significant drivers for closing the emissions gap by 2020 are vehicle GHG emission standards and the import of additional clean electricity, each expected to contribute several MMTCO2e in reductions.
• The 'Clean Energy Imports' policy is critical for meeting the 2020 target, with an estimated reduction of 4.0 MMTCO2e, but it requires new legislation or regulation to be implemented.
• The retirement of coal-fired power plants is expected to contribute 2.7 MMTCO2e in reductions by 2020, though this is partially offset by the closure of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant.
• The 'All Cost Effective Energy Efficiency' policy is the largest source of GHG reductions in the buildings sector, with projected economy-wide reductions of 5.4 MMTCO2e by 2020.
• Federal and California vehicle efficiency and GHG standards are the most impactful transportation policies, projected to reduce emissions by 3.7 MMTCO2e by 2020.
• Replacing aged natural gas distribution infrastructure is projected to reduce GHG emissions by 1.7 MMTCO2e by 2020 by minimizing methane leaks.
• To achieve the 2050 goal of an 80% reduction relative to 1990, Massachusetts must follow a strategy to 'reduce, electrify, and decarbonize,' focusing on energy efficiency, clean electricity, and the electrification of heating and transport.
• Analysis of terrestrial carbon storage in 2011 found that forests, wetlands, farms, and fields stored 365 million metric tons of carbon, with forests accounting for approximately 67% of that total.
• Historical land use change from 1990 to 2011 resulted in a loss of 7 million metric tons of carbon, primarily from forests and wetlands.
• The 'Blue Carbon Calculator' estimated that seven ecological restoration projects in Massachusetts wetlands would result in a cumulative net reduction of approximately 8,400 metric tons of CO2e by 2050.
• The Massachusetts clean energy sector has grown 64% since 2010, employing 98,895 workers across 6,439 firms in an industry valued at approximately $11 billion.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2015). Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. https://leap.sei.org/documents/MassCECP.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. 2015. https://leap.sei.org/documents/MassCECP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020 |date=2015 |url=https://leap.sei.org/documents/MassCECP.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2015clean, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, url = {https://leap.sei.org/documents/MassCECP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }