At its November 17, 2022 meeting, the Oregon Global Warming Commission (OGWC) discussed preliminary options for recommending an update to the state’s sector-based GHG reduction goals. Several states and the federal government have adopted more ambitious GHG reduction goals that better reflect the current science.
Roadmap to 2035 is being finalized in January/February 2023 with the plan to publish and deliver it to Legislature by March 1, 2023.
"While Oregon has taken action to reduce emissions, the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals no longer align with the science-based emissions mitigation pathways that have the greatest likelihood to avoid the worst impacts of global warming." ~OGWC
The 2007 Oregon Legislature created the Oregon Global Warming Commission through House Bill 3543. Its mission is to "recommend ways to coordinate state and local efforts to reduce Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions, and to help the state, local governments, businesses, and Oregonians prepare for the effects of climate change."
"The Oregon Global Warming Commission, in consultation with other state agencies, has historically had the role of tracking and evaluating progress toward achieving the state’s greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and recommending statutory or administrative changes to achieve the goals."
Through the Transformational Integrated Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction (TIGHGER) project, OGWC determined through the modeling of their consultant SSG that "the programs and regulations already adopted by the state agencies put Oregon on track to achieve our 2035 GHG reduction goal, assuming they are implemented as planned and fully funded."
SSG’s modeling has identified a list of about two dozen actions the state could undertake to meet to accelerate the 2035 goal to 2030:
Reduce the floor area of new homes
Shift to higher density residences in urban zones
Require new residential buildings to be net zero emissions
Require new commercial buildings to be net zero emissions
Install electric heat pumps for new residential buildings and manufactured homes - heating step 3
Install electric heat pumps for new commercial buildings - cooling system efficiency
Install electric heat pumps for new commercial buildings - water heating systems efficiency
Implement a GHG performance requirement of existing residential buildings
Implement a GHG performance requirement of existing commercial buildings
Install electric heat pumps for existing residential buildings and manufactured homes - heating
Install electric heat pumps for existing residential buildings and manufactured homes - water heating
Install electric heat pumps for existing commercial buildings - cooling system efficiency
Install electric heat pumps for existing commercial buildings - water heating systems efficiency
Improve the energy efficiency of industrial facilities not covered by CPP
medium and heavy duty zero emission plan with fin
Implement a strategy on regional freight and micro-mobility, last-mile delivery
Implement an electric micro-mobility strategy
Expand Oregon Amtrak passenger rail
Deploy shared vehicles
Implement low emissions zones in urban areas
Enhance the efficiency of the water system
Organics diversion 2030
Deploy green hydrogen in industries not covered by CPP
Blend in RNG to use full potential
Blend in 15% H2 by 2035
Cap Fac Fuel Cells