The Sierra Club applauds the Cooper administration for taking a major step today to address climate change, which increasingly is adversely impacting North Carolina’s communities.
With the SAS solar farm in the background, Gov. Roy Cooper today signed an executive order that reaffirms his administration’s commitment to meeting the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and sets clear targets and deadlines to get there.
The plan sets a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the state’s economy by 40 percent by 2025, aims for greater electrification of the state’s transportation sector, and prioritizes energy efficiency.
The order requires immediate action by individual state agencies and invites businesses and local governments to join the effort.
The latest science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underscores the need for immediate action to slow climate change. Communities across North Carolina are ready to be part of a cleaner, more environmentally friendly economy that does not involve fossil fuels. In fact, some cities and counties in the state have already adopted 100 percent clean energy goals of their own.
Statement by Molly Diggins, State Director of the N.C. Sierra Club:
"The Sierra Club calls on business and nonprofit leaders, local and state elected officials, and Duke Energy to join the Cooper administration in this far-sighted effort to ensure that North Carolina does its part to combat global climate change."
"We must act now to address climate change for the sake of our society and for future generations. North Carolina is at particular risk, as recent hurricanes Matthew, Florence and Michael illustrate. We must do better to protect our communities and the natural environment from more extreme storms, sea-level rise and other impacts of climate change. Gov. Cooper's order shows that his administration is serious about tackling the threat climate change poses to our state. We look forward to participating in the stakeholder process."