“Transitioning our economy to remain globally competitive, and investing in our most impacted communities across the state.”
The state of Oregon has reinstated its Climate Protection Program, which will go into action in 2025. This plan highlights the importance of state-based action in the face of our warming climate, and proves that perseverance is key in protecting our planet.
The Climate Protection Program was first introduced in Oregon in 2021, but it was scrapped due to lawsuits from natural gas companies, Capital Press reported. The lawsuits were focused on a technicality regarding required disclosures from companies that hold air pollution permits, as per Capital Press. These lawsuits were successful in shutting down the 2021 program, but Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality went straight back to work drafting a new plan.
The overall goals of the program have not changed from 2021 to now. It aims for the state of Oregon to reach a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas pollution by 2035, and a 90% reduction by 2050, according to Capital Press. In order to achieve these goals, some of the program’s focuses include shifting away from dirty energy and incentivizing the use of clean energy — like solar and wind — through carbon credit programs…