Southeast

North Carolina

North Carolina is ranked 4th in the nation for solar energy generation, powering 9% of the state’s electricity supply in 2022. The transportation sector accounts for most of the state’s energy use due to the heavily trafficked highways and one of the nation’s busiest passenger airports. Overall, greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 26% from 2005-2021, with the biggest reductions from the state’s electricity sector.
GHG Reduction Targets
All targets relative to 2005 levels
2025
40%
2030
50%
2050
Net-zero
Governor
Roy Cooper (Democrat)
House Party
Republican Supermajority
Senate Party
Republican Supermajority
Legislative session
4/24/24 - 7/31/24
US Climate Alliance Status
Member

22

Policies Enacted or In Progress
across 6 policy areas

40

Policy Opportunities
across 6 policy areas

Southeast

14 states
This map shows the occurrence of climate policies passed at the state-level. Higher numbers represent more climate policies enacted.

Progress by Policy Area

  • Enacted
  • In-progress
  • Partially Enacted
  • Not Enacted
Glossary of Terms
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partially-enacted
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not-enacted

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in North Carolina

Created in partnership with
Filters
Status Policy Policy Area Policy Category YR Enacted
Enacted
Empty column

North Carolina Deep Decarbonization Pathways Analysis

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Climate advisory bodies often write or advise on a state's climate plan, and make non-binding recommendations on climate policy design and implementation. The bodies can consist of all non-government members, or be a mix of government and non-government members.

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance
Enacted
Empty column

NC Climate Change Interagency Council

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2018
Enacted
Empty column

40% by 2025 | 50% by 2030 | net-zero by 2050

Relative to 2005 levels

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2022
Enacted
Empty column

The 1990-2020 Greenhouse Gas Inventory was published in January 2024.

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2024
Not Enacted
Empty column

Cumulative impact assessments determine the health and environmental impacts of renewing or granting a permit for certain pollution-generating facilities in environmental justice communities. Increased pollution burdens in communities may result in the permit application being denied.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Enacted
Empty column

Environmental Justice Advisory Council

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2023
Enacted
Empty column

Cabinet Agencies Environmental Justice and Equity Leads

NCDEQ – Environmental Justice Coordinator

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Enacted
Empty column

"Underserved populations" are census block groups where (1) at least 50% of residents are non-White or which have a non-White population 10% higher than the county or state share; and (2) where 20% of the population is experiencing poverty and the share of households in poverty is at least 5% higher than the county or state share.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Not Enacted
Empty column

Environmental justice (EJ) community investment requirements help ensure communities most impacted by environmental burdens are benefitting equitably from public programs by requiring a certain percentage of funds and/or benefits from other policies are allocated to EJ communities.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Enacted
Empty column

N.C. Environmental Justice Hub

DEQ North Carolina Community Mapping System

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2024
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition advisory bodies write or advise on a state's just transition plan or report, and make recommendations on ways to support affected workers, communities, and industries. The bodies can consist of all non-government members, or be a mix of government and non-government members.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition funds support initiatives and investments aimed at facilitating the equitable transition of workers and communities affected by shifts in industries or policies that transition from fossil fuels.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition offices and staff assist workers and communities transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction and use, typically through retraining programs and support with relocation and economic diversification. Offices and staff also coordinate with other state agencies to effectively design policy to achieve a just transition.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition plans are documents that outline policies and recommendations aimed at supporting communities, workers, and industries affected by the transition away from fossil fuels. The plans often focus on workforce development and retraining, job creation, and economic diversification.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Enacted
Empty column

North Carolina Clean Energy Fund

Cross-Sector
Climate Finance 2020
Not Enacted
Empty column

Carbon pollution pricing establishes a pollution fee or cap-and-trade program on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with each sector/source of emissions within the state. Programs typically cover the electricity, buildings, transportation, and/or industrial sectors.

Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation
Enacted
Empty column

State agencies are encouraged to incorporate the social cost of carbon into agency decision-making processes that impact greenhouse gas emissions.

Establishing Policies
Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation 2022
Enacted
Empty column

10% renewable energy by 2018 for munis and coops | 12.5% renewable energy by 2021 for investor-owned utilities (IOUs)

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2007
Enacted
Empty column

North Carolina Clean Energy Plan

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2019
Enacted
Empty column

70% reduction by 2030, relative to 2005 levels, and carbon-neutral emissions by 2050

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2021
Not Enacted
Empty column

Community choice aggregation allows local governments to procure power on behalf of their residents, businesses, and municipal accounts from an alternative supplier while still receiving transmission and distribution service from their existing utility provider.

Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
1/5
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
3/11
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
enacted
3/6
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Not Enacted
Empty column

Energy storage targets establish procurement targets for energy storage systems by a certain date, often with interim targets. Targets can vary from broad megawatt (MW) requirements to more specific mandates that focus on the adoption of certain storage technologies.

Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage
Enacted
Empty column

North Carolina received a C grade from Freeing the Grid.

Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Coal phaseouts establish a target year by which states must end coal-fired power generation.

Electricity
Coal Retirement
Enacted
Empty column

Requires the securitization of 50% of the remaining value of all subcritical coal-fired generating facilities, with the remaining costs to be recovered through energy rates

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Coal Retirement 2021
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is 2015 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2013 with amendments.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2018
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2015 IECC.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2018
Not Enacted
Empty column

Stretch building energy codes are an optional, more stringent building code established by the state that local jurisdictions can adopt to require that newly constructed buildings are more efficient than the baseline state codes.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes
Not Enacted
Empty column

Appliance standards set minimum energy and water conservation requirements for appliances and equipment.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards
Not Enacted
Empty column

Building performance standards establish energy and/or greenhouse gas performance targets for existing buildings in a state. These targets increase in stringency over time, leading to efficiency improvements in buildings to conserve energy and reduce emissions.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards
Not Enacted
Empty column

Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards
Enacted
Empty column

Public electric utilities in the state must obtain renewable energy power and energy efficiency savings of 12.5% of 2020 retail sales in 2021 and thereafter. 40% of this requirement can be met with energy efficiency measures annually.

Gas utilities are not subject to an EERS.

Establishing Policies
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2007
Not Enacted
Empty column

Property assessed clean energy (PACE) allows residential and/or commercial property owners to finance efficiency upgrades with loans tied to the property.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
not-enacted
not-enacted
enacted
not-enacted
1/4
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency
Not Enacted
Empty column

All-electric buildings policies require new buildings to be constructed with all-electric heating, cooling, and cooking systems to transition away from fossil-fuel use in buildings.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Electrification
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle rebates offer rebates to make light-duty electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

Under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, California has the unique authority to establish vehicle emission standards more stringent than federal standards, and other states may adopt California’s standards. These Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards control tailpipe emissions of criteria pollutants and greenhouse gasses from light-duty vehicles.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandates, also known as "clean car standards," require automakers to produce and sell a certain percentage of zero-emission light-duty vehicles each model year based on total new vehicle sales. The most stringent ZEV mandates require 100% of new vehicle sales to be electric by 2035 and are known as "Advanced Clean Cars II".

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

Low NOx Omnibus Rules establish stringent tailpipe emission standards for heavy duty vehicles, updated testing procedures, and technology-neutral compliance mechanisms to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) pollution. The regulation must be adopted first by California, and other states may adopt the regulation under the federal Clean Air Act.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

In 2022, Governor Cooper signed EO 271 directing the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to propose that the Environmental Management Commission adopt an Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) program by May 15, 2023. However, the 2023 budget included language that prohibits ACT's regulatory process from proceeding further.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric vehicle rebates consist of programs and policies that offer rebates to make MHD electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric bus procurement targets require that a certain percentage or number of school buses and/or transit buses purchased or leased by the state, transit authorities, and/or school districts must be electric or zero-emissions.

Transportation
Lead by Example
Enacted
Empty column

Agencies must prioritize ZEVs when purchasing new passenger vehicles

Agencies must prioritize medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs when purchasing new MHD vehicles

Transportation
Lead by Example 2018
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure rebates offer rebates to make the purchase and/or installation costs of EV charging infrastructure more affordable.

Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure requirements establish mandates for the installation of EV charging infrastructure in new construction or developments, such as residential or commercial buildings, and public parking lots.

Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure
Enacted
Empty column

N.C. Clean Transportation Plan

North Carolina Zero Emission Vehicle Plan 2022 Progress Update

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is a market-based mechanism to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels and account for the fuel's life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets
Not Enacted
Empty column

Transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are set by a state to limit emissions in the transportation sector. These targets aim to reduce emissions by specific amounts over time, often expressed as a percentage reduction from a baseline year.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets
Partially Enacted
Empty column

North Carolina is ranked 18th out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists.

Policy Components
not-enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
4/5
Transportation
Public and Active Transportation
Not Enacted
Empty column

Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Industrial Decarbonization
Not Enacted
Empty column

Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) regulations include phasedown commitments, rulemakings, disclosure requirements, bans, or other measures that reduce HFC usage and emissions.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations
Not Enacted
Empty column

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, bans, or other measures that reduce SF6 usage and emissions.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations
Not Enacted
Empty column

Fracking bans prohibit the practice of hydraulic fracking for the production of oil and/or natural gas by a certain year. Legislation often requires an environmental agency or department to promulgate regulations.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations
Not Enacted
Empty column

Oil and gas methane regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, leak detection and repair, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from oil and gas production.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations
Not Enacted
Empty column

Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management
Not Enacted
Empty column

Landfill methane regulations include rulemakings, emissions monitoring, emissions control, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from decaying organic waste in landfills.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management
Enacted
Empty column

The Agriculture Cost Share Program (ACSP) provides financial assistance to help address nonpoint source pollution, including soil health measures.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture 1984
Enacted
Empty column

The Agriculture Cost Share Program (ACSP) provides technical assistance to help address nonpoint source pollution, including soil health measures.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture 1984

The State Climate Policy Dashboard tracks only passed policies and does not include bills currently proposed in legislative sessions. The website is intended to illustrate the current status of policies for each state, as well as key resources and model states for each policy.

Much of the information contained in this database is derived from the public domain, with links to resources provided. The information provided is made available solely for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Click here for full Terms of Use.

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