Nature Communications (Oct 2020)

Fusing subnational with national climate action is central to decarbonization: the case of the United States

  • Nathan E. Hultman,
  • Leon Clarke,
  • Carla Frisch,
  • Kevin Kennedy,
  • Haewon McJeon,
  • Tom Cyrs,
  • Pete Hansel,
  • Paul Bodnar,
  • Michelle Manion,
  • Morgan R. Edwards,
  • Ryna Cui,
  • Christina Bowman,
  • Jessie Lund,
  • Michael I. Westphal,
  • Andrew Clapper,
  • Joel Jaeger,
  • Arijit Sen,
  • Jiehong Lou,
  • Devashree Saha,
  • Wendy Jaglom,
  • Koben Calhoun,
  • Kristin Igusky,
  • James deWeese,
  • Kareem Hammoud,
  • J. C. Altimirano,
  • Margaret Dennis,
  • Chris Henderson,
  • Gill Zwicker,
  • John O’Neill

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18903-w
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

Read online

Climate action from local actors is vital in achieving nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. Here the authors show that existing commitments from U.S. states, cities and business could reduce emissions 25% below 2005 levels by 2030, with expanded subnational action reducing emissions by 37% and federal action by up to 49%.