Center for Climate Change Law | Columbia Law School
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State and Local Climate Change Laws Resource Center
Compilation of Databases of State and Local Initiatives on Climate Change, Renewable Energy, and Efficiency
In the absence of Congressional action on climate change, state and municipal governments across the country have taken action, adopting laws and policies on climate change, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. These initiatives have included the creation of climate change action plans and adaptation plans, the implementation of regulations on greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, and the development of regional carbon markets. Currently, there are a number of online databases of these state and municipal laws. The Center for Climate Change Law has prepared a compilation of many of these databases.
The compilation includes the following information: the primary organization or governmental body responsible for publishing the online database; a summary of the resources provided, how the information is organized, whether the database has a search function; whether the database includes an analysis of the state and/or municipal laws; the date the database was last updated; and any other notable resources or projects. Hyperlinks to each of the databases are also provided.
Download the compilation
The Center for Climate Change Law will be updating this compilation and would like it to be as comprehensive as possible. Readers are requested to send any additional databases or updates of existing databases of state and local initiates relating to climate change to Julia Ciardullo at jciard@law.columbia.edu.
Local laws intended to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions have recently proliferated as part of a municipal-level response to climate change. Columbia Law School’s Center for Climate Change Law has prepared databases of many of these municipal laws relating specifically to green building, solar energy, wind energy, and energy efficiency.
View the Municipal Model Ordinances Databases here.