Polis updates plan to reduce Colorado emissions by 50% by 2030 - FOX 31 Denver

Colorado launches Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap 2.0

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado is a place known for its recreation, views and outdoor climate, and Gov. Jared Polis launched an ambitious plan to reduce state emissions by 50% in the next six years.

To accomplish this, the state announced an updated roadmap Monday to cut down on greenhouse gas pollution by 2030. The map has 49 items on it that can be done in the next three years and cut pollution.

“Colorado has been a national model in bold climate action that improves air quality and protects our precious resources and open spaces,” Polis said in a release on the announcement. “This updated, comprehensive Roadmap continues pushing our state forward in ways that will save Coloradans money, protect our air and water, and ensure a more sustainable future for Colorado.”

The so-called Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap 2.0 outlines various methods of decreasing airborne pollutants before 2027, including:

- Building more complete and connected streets
- Increase energy efficiency and electrification for the state’s affordable housing programs
- Streamline local electric vehicle charger deployment
- Study alternative uses of oil and gas wells
- Develop 2035 clean heat targets
- Achieve emission reductions from well-plugging
- Begin developing a statewide industrial decarbonization strategy
- Extend existing tax incentives for beetle-killed wood

All of these goals are slated to be underway in 2024, 2025 or 2026.

Colorado plan aims to slash carbon dioxide

Overall, the state reported that it expects these actions will reduce economy-wide emissions from the 2005 baseline by 2030, achieving 100% of the 2030 target between 2031 and 2032. The goal is to drop from 146.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to 76.8 million metric tons by 2030.

Beyond greenhouse gas emissions reductions, the state promises that these near-term actions will improve air quality and create jobs.

“Reductions in co-pollutant emissions, such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate matter, are expected to result in about 500 avoided deaths and more than 10,000 avoided asthma attacks between now and 2050,” the state reported in an announcement for the new roadmap. It also said it expects to create 95,000 new jobs for that same period by doing this.

In a press conference on Monday, Polis said his administration will be ambitious in setting goals.

“We’re always excited about setting goals that are ambitious but are reachable. If a goal is too easy to reach, then it is not worth setting,” Polis said. “We want to make sure that we can produce cleaner air, reductions on climate change-inducing gases, and we will continue to both fulfill the items from the existing roadmap and then update it now to be more bold and aggressive with this new roadmap 2.0.”

Colorado on track to miss CO2 goal: report

However, the new roadmap is on the heels of a Rocky Mountain Institute and the Colorado Energy Office report that said the state is on schedule to miss its goal of cutting carbon dioxide by 50% by 2030. While the state has met more than 80% of that goal, it would need to reduce emissions by 34 times more than the previous abatement projected by the state government.

Colorado said it has received billions of dollars in funding and tax incentives from the federal government to help make these plans a reality.