Utah Announces Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goal
On June 20, 2008, Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal of reducing statewide GHG emissions to 2005 levels by 2020. The GHG will be achieved using several policy tools, including: increased reliance on renewable energy sources; policies to reduce energy demand and increase efficiency; mass transit policies; and participation in the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) GHG cap-and-trade program. Utah DEQ estimated that if all the recommended policies are implemented, that state’s 2020 CO2 emissions will be 28 percent below business-as-usual projected levels. Utah is one of seven states and three Canadian provinces participating in the WCI.
Press Release
Western Climate Initiative
State Target GHG Emissions