Nevada Reaffirms Commitment to Paris Climate Agreement

Carson City, NV - November 04, 2019

News Release

Today, the Trump Administration began the formal process to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement.  In response to this previously-signaled action, three U.S. governors launched, and twenty-two additional bi-partisan governors have joined, the United States Climate Alliance to affirm a state commitment to uphold the goals of the Agreement.  Governor Sisolak announced in March of this year that Nevada join the U.S. Climate Alliance as its 23^rd state.      

Nevadans have long understood both the risks and realities our state faces from climate change, as well as the opportunities of our growing clean energy economy, and Nevada’s membership in the U.S. Climate Alliance is based on this understanding and our state’s leadership on climate action in response to the Administration’s retrenchment.  The impacts of climate change in Nevada are real. Nevadans have already been exposed to increased drought risks, increased intensity and occurrence of wildfires, and Las Vegas has been documented as the nation’s fastest warming city. More than 70,000 people living in Nevada are especially vulnerable to extreme heat. Currently Nevada averages 20 days of extreme heat, classifying them as dangerous.  By 2050, projections indicated there will be nearly 30 such days a year.  

“Today, Nevadans stand up once again to reaffirm our commitment to the Agreement and strongly oppose the Administration's misguided decision to begin the process of formally withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The Administration’s decision to begin the formal withdrawal process from the Paris Agreement is an abdication of the responsibility all leaders have to address the global climate crisis and is deeply irresponsible,” said Governor Sisolak.

However, Nevada is not waiting for any sea change in the Administration’s handling of the climate crisis. This past legislative session, Nevada passed Senate Bill 254 which inventories greenhouse gas emissions, while providing innovative policy options to curb those emissions.  Nevada’s Renewable Portfolio Standard now sits at 50% renewable energy by 2030, with a target of 100% renewable energy by 2050.  Governor Sisolak joined the U.S. Climate Alliance states in supporting the Nation’s Clean Car Promise, to call for a one strong, national clean car standard and to preserve state authority to set the standards needed to protect residents from vehicle pollution. 

“The Trump Administration’s claim that tackling carbon emissions is a job killing effort simply doesn’t match the facts,” said Governor Sisolak. Renewable energy projects built in Nevada have brought roughly $8 billion in investments and created more than 8,500 jobs. In addition, the energy efficiency sector supports more than 11,000 jobs in Nevada. In the manufacturing sector, lithium power storage batteries have become a top 10 export from Nevada with growth from $3M to $131M between 2015 to 2018.

The Governor’s Office of Energy supports policies and programs that will move Nevada’s clean  forward regardless of this latest misguided action of the Administration and looks forward to continued job and investment growth as the state works to decarbonize its transportation sector, continues to develop clean and renewable energy, and reduces energy use across our built environment.  

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About the Governor's Office of Energy

The Governor’s Office of Energy oversees energy programs required through statute and those that help to meet the mission of the office, which is to ensure the wise development of Nevada’s energy resources in harmony with local community economic needs and Nevada natural resources. For more information about the Governor’s Office of Energy, please visit energy.nv.gov.