Our economy, our health, and our ability to spend time outside doing the things we love, with the people we love, are threatened by climate change.
The reality is that drought is our new normal in the West because our climate is getting warmer and drier. We need real action from our leaders now.
The good news is that here in the West we’ve taken important steps to tackle climate change and protect our waterways.
- In Nevada, the governor signed SB-448, legislation to accelerate Nevada’s transition to clean energy. This law is helping Nevada achieve its carbon reduction and clean energy goals, investing in the communities hardest hit by carbon pollution, and creating new jobs across the state.
- In New Mexico, the Energy Transition Act made history. This bill set an ambitious statewide climate goal to transition to 100% clean energy by 2045 and laid out a plan to retire an aging coal plant. The state has also recently adopted clean car rules to reduce emissions and pollution from vehicles.
- Colorado has set goals for aggressive statewide action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 90% by 2050. The state has also passed legislation to address environmental injustice and reduce carbon emissions from construction and buildings.
- In Arizona, the elected state utility oversight board, the Arizona Corporation Commission, made a meaningful commitment to transportation electrification. Arizona investor-owned utilities will now be required to bring forward transportation electrification plans for approval by the state regulatory commission. This will help reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality in the state.
- In Utah, the legislature is taking steps to adapt to a hotter and drier future. In 2022, they passed three bills to advance water conservation measures. These initiatives included: incentivizing replacing turf with drought-resistant landscaping, requiring most water providers to meter the use of secondary water, and ensuring cities and towns include water use and preservation in long-term planning.
There’s much more work to do to reduce greenhouse gas pollution to the levels climate scientists say are needed to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. Join WRA as we work to ensure that our climate and Western communities and landscapes are protected not just for current generations but for all those to come.
