States, counties, and cities are operating as climate policy laboratories given the lack of federal action to reduce GHG emissions and active efforts to undo existing climate policies. EELP is working to provide state and local policymakers with legal analysis of high-impact opportunities to reduce GHG emissions.
State policy has long been a wellspring of inspiration for federal policy and a proving ground for innovative ideas. Federal policy is not made de novo or in a vacuum- it draws on state and local programs, evaluating what works and how it can be adapted at a federal level. The main project in this portfolio is a series of policy guides that outline the legal landscape that state and local policymakers must navigate to achieve GHG reductions in key sectors within their authority. From planning and zoning to waste management, state and local governments have valuable opportunities to design and implement programs that drive down GHG emissions today and into the future.