State Energy and Climate Actions: Agriculture, Forestry and Waste Management

Over the past six years, more than 30 states have addressed climate change through comprehensive development of mitigation measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also creating jobs and addressing energy needs within their states. This includes a full suite of policies in the agriculture, forestry and waste sectors and specific actions that support land protection, conservation practices, renewable energy and products, and waste recovery. Some states have developed adaptation plans as well to respond to climate change impacts on natural resources and other systems.

The Center for Climate Strategies is a nonprofit that supplies technical and analytic services to states. This briefing was the second in a series co-sponsored by EESI and CCS. The first briefing provided an overview of state energy and climate actions across all sectors. The third briefing examined energy efficiency strategies in the built environment. Details on future briefings will be posted at www.eesi.org/briefings as they become available.

On July 8, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) and the Office of Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) held a briefing about state climate actions related to agriculture, forestry and waste management, and how they can inform the current Congressional debate on energy and climate policy. States have developed a range of approaches for promoting bioenergy and biobased products as well as managing agriculture, forestry and other land use to enhance carbon sequestration and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Many of these approaches are “win-win” solutions that simultaneously address employment/economic stimulus, energy security, climate mitigation and other environmental objectives while garnering broad consensus among diverse stakeholders. At this briefing, agriculture and forestry experts from the South and Midwest shared experiences about policy development and implementation in their states, and offered perspectives on how the federal government and states can best partner to implement effective policies.

• According to CCS, 25 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas reductions can come from the agricultural sector, specifically in the key areas of waste management, renewable energy, and land protection and management.
• Joe James from South Carolina offered several recommendations for federal action, including an increase in small business financing, recognizing regional differences while still promoting collaboration among regions, an increase in interagency cooperation and creating multi-state biomass zones.
• Agricultural emissions are a large part of the South Carolina emissions profile, and the state is rich in forest and agricultural residues which could be used as cellulosic biomass. South Carolina's climate change commission has released the final report containing mitigation strategies, though the governor has yet to act on them.
• Iowa is already experiencing the pain of climate change, especially from the massive flooding last year. The state is also the leader in biofuel production and second largest in wind production. These resources can help revitalize rural communities.
• Offsets must be real and accountable. Richard Leopold from Iowa supported U.S. Department of Agriculture oversight of a federal offsets program and recommends that offset programs be designed to dovetail with existing agricultural incentives and farm bill programs.
• North Carolina is reliant on coal power, but it did pass a Renewable Portfolio Standard in 2007 that requires electric public utilities to meet 12.5 percent of retail electricity demand through renewable energy or energy efficiency measures.
• Dennis Hazel from North Carolina noted that considerations for cap and trade should include simple and affordable carbon credit projects for small landowners, as well as having carbon credits available for managed forest stands (as opposed to just new afforestation projects).
• The federal government needs to make states key partners in the fight against climate change. States need help financially, and they need to be able to customize programs to fit their needs.