New Jersey Passes Global Warming Response Act

State to cut emissions 80% by 2050

July 6, 2007

On July 6, 2007, Governor Jon Corzine signed the Global Warming Response Act, making New Jersey the third state in the nation to commit to mandatory greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. By setting tough emissions standards for the years 2020 and 2050, the Global Warming Response Act makes New Jersey a leader in the nation's efforts to reduce the impacts of global warming.

Speaking at Giants Stadium as Corzine signed the bill into law, the bill's prime sponsor, state Senator Barbara Buono stated that "Global warming is the most urgent environmental issue in our lifetime. Failing to consider the long-term impacts of our actions today will result in unbreathable air and a floundering economy." Buono continued by acknowledging that "[the] new law represents a crucial step forward toward fighting global climate change."

The law requires the state to decrease its emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. By 2050, emissions must be 80% below their 2006 levels. These limits reflect the targets Corzine set forth in February of this year in Executive Order No. 54.

While the law sets targets for emissions reductions, it does not state how those reductions will be accomplished. In order to achieve the aggressive goals, the state Department of Environmental Protection is required to prepare a report by June 30, 2008 recommending measures to meet the 2020 targets.

Rutgers faculty members have been involved in providing the scientific expertise behind bill and will continue to be involved in developing policy suggestions for the state's energy sector as it aims to reduce its emissions.

Dr. Anthony Broccoli, a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences, testified before the New Jersey Senate Environment Committee during its first hearing on global climate change legislation. Addressing the likely effects of global warming on New Jersey, Broccoli stated that "[Sea] level rise is probably the impact of climate change that is of most concern in New Jersey." However, the state can also expect to see more frequent heat waves and more extreme weather. "[Leadership] is important," Broccoli stressed, "because the public needs to be made aware of the very important challenges that are posed by climate change, the need to limit its magnitude and prepare for its consequences."

As part of the New Jersey Sustainable State Institute's Energy Sustainability Project, researchers at Rutgers' Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy have been helping to develop indicators and targets to guide energy and climate policy. The research team, led by professor Clinton Andrews, is able to predict the impact of different energy policies on the state's environment, economy, emissions, and energy security by applying different scenarios to the state's energy sector using computer models.

The Energy Sustainability Project's findings suggest that aggressive implementation of known policies and technologies can effectively meet the 2020 target with only a slight increase in energy expenditures. Meeting the 2050 goal, however, is more challenging and will require more creativity along with new policies and technologies.

New Jersey is the first state in the nation to mandate emissions targets for the year 2050. California and Hawaii have enacted bills setting targets for the year 2020, and eight other states, including Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, are considering such legislation.

According to Dr. Andrews, meeting the bill's emissions targets will require aggressive changes to the state's energy policies. "The clock is ticking," Andrews said at a May conference held at the Bloustein School. "It's going to take heavy lifting starting today."