News Release | Environment New Jersey

As Emissions in Northeast States Decline, Economic Growth Outpaces Nation

A new report by Environment New Jersey released today highlights the role that clean energy and environmental policies have played in moving states toward meeting targets for reducing global warming emissions, while challenging claims that actions that reduce emissions undermine economic growth.  

According to “A Record of Leadership: How Northeastern States are Cutting Global Warming Pollution and Building a Clean Economy,” New Jersey and the 9 other states that participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have cut per capita carbon dioxide emissions 20 percent faster than the rest of the nation, even as the region’s gross product per capita grew 87 percent faster than the rest of the United States. 

Report | Environment New Jersey

A Record of Leadership

Over the last decade, northeastern states have built a track record of successful action to reduce global warming pollution. By working together
across state lines and partisan divides—and developing innovative new policies to hasten the transition to a clean energy economy—the Northeast has succeeded in
cutting emissions while safeguarding the region’s economic health.
Between 2000 and 2009, the 10 northeastern states1 that participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) cut per capita carbon dioxide
emissions 20 percent faster than the rest of the nation—even as the region’s gross product per capita grew 87 percent
faster than the rest of the United States.
The region is on pace to achieve the ambitious emission reduction goals set over the last decade. Much more remains to be
done to protect the region from the impacts of global warming, but the experience of the past decade provides hope that smart
policies and an ethic of cooperation can result in a rapid reduction in global warming pollution even as the region’s economy
continues to grow.

Report | Environment New Jersey

In the Path of the Storm

With extreme weather events increasingly common in New Jersey and across the United States, Environment New Jersey released a new report.  The report documents extreme weather events in every county in New Jersey, and discusses the likely consequences of future disasters as a result of a warming world.

Report | Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center

Benefits of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

In 2005, New Jersey joined nine other Northeastern states in a landmark agreement to limit global warming pollution from the region’s power plants. This agreement, known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), is designed to clean up pollution from power plants while fueling the transition to a clean energy economy. New Jersey has benefited from RGGI through the investment of funds from the sale of pollution allowances in clean energy projects—projects that are cutting pollution, benefiting energy consumers and creating new economic opportunities. 

News Release | Environment New Jersey

New Report: RGGI Benefits NJ’s Economy and Environment

(TRENTON) -- As a bill moves through the Legislature to keep New Jersey in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), Environment New Jersey released a new report that quantifies the program’s benefits to the state’s economy, to business and residential ratepayers, and to the environment. The report documents the benefits already realized by New Jersey after just three years of RGGI participation, and it models future benefits that New Jersey will reap by staying in the program, under both a business-as-usual scenario and under a strengthened and improved program.

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Westfield rally protests Gov. Christie's stand on Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative, RGGI

The Cranford Chronicle covered our rally in February outside Sen. Kean Jr.'s office in Westfield, NJ. Local citizens, women's groups, environmentalists and public health advocates gathered together to urge the representatives of District 21 to vote in support of RGGI.

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Asbury Park Press to Gov: Be Consistent on Air Quality

The Asbury Park Press has criticized Governor Christie for hoping to pull New Jersey out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  The paper argued that the governor's position on RGGI "makes no sense," and they urged him to stay in the program and work with neighboring states to make it stronger.  We couldn't agree more.

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Former Govs Agree: Chrisitie Wrong on RGGI

Former Republican Gov. Thomas Kean is such a believer in climate change that he is calling on informed citizens to "confront those who don't believe in the science of it for the ignorant people that they are." Speaking before a Rutgers University conference in New Brunswick Tuesday, Kean criticized fellow Republican Gov. Chris Christie, saying it was a "shame" that he pulled New Jersey out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

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