Northeast Climate Pact at 10: Less CO2 And Lower Electric Bills

"Emissions in nine Northeastern states fell 47% between 2008 and 2018 largely due to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, according to a new report released by the Acadia Center.

The environmental group also found electricity prices in the RGGI states decreased 5.7% over that time, while gross domestic product increased by 47%.

The findings offer a look at the first decade of RGGI, a cap-and-trade program for power plants, and come amid an increasing debate over the role carbon pricing should play in decarbonizing the economy. Utilities and oil companies increasingly support the idea of putting a price on carbon, even as greens, traditional champions of the idea, have voiced more doubts about the policy's ability to cut emissions."

Benjamin Storrow reports for ClimateWire September 18, 2019.

Source: ClimateWire, 09/19/2019