Back in March, I wrote about the Governor of New York’s attempts to scale back the state’s climate goals. Those attempts appear to be paying off. In announcing a deal to finalize the state’s 2027 budget, the Governor confirmed a deal with the legislature agreeing to scale back climate ambition. ESG Today reports that the following changes have been agreed to:
“In a presentation announcing the budget deal, the Governor’s office revealed a compromise, with a new requirement to be put in place mandating the regulations by introduced by 2028, instead of the proposed end of 2030.
A government spokesperson said that the new goal will target a 60% reduction in emissions by 2040, with the law requiring regulations in 2028 to reach that target.
The deal will also change accounting methods used by the state to measure greenhouse gas emissions from a 20-year standard to a 100-year standard, which the Governor argued was more commonly used. The change will effectively make the achievement of emissions reduction goals easier.”
These changes represent a shift from prior ambitions. Originally, a 40% reduction target was set for 2030, and regulations were to be adopted by 2024. Those 2024 amendments never came, causing the courts to order the state to issue them in early 2026. However, with the new amendments, those regulations will be pushed to 2028 in line with the 2040 emissions reduction targets. The Governor cites the cost of living and the cost of energy as reasons for amending the law.
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