In this database, Actions are the big-ticket items that enable or produce new policies or supporting resources. Actions can be announcements, executive orders, legislation, reports/roadmaps, or regulations.

Action

The Action History reflects a chronological sequence of Actions (laws, executive orders, reports, etc.) a state has taken to reach a specific Policy outcome. This will allow users to trace ‘policy pathways’ and see the varied approaches states can take to adopt a desired policy, in addition to how a long-standing policy (e.g., a Renewable Portfolio Standard) has evolved over time through various Actions.

Not every Action or Policy has an Action History.

Action History

In this database, action statuses represent a simplified progress indicator for how states act on climate. These statuses may not fully capture the steps or nuance behind every action type (e.g., regulations go through multiple steps before they are final).

Action Status

Active

A state or territory in the United States that currently participates in the [U.S. Climate Alliance](http://www.usclimatealliance.org/).

Alliance Member

State-produced analytical resources and tools (such as dashboards, maps, databases, and toolkits).

Analysis and Tools

A statement from a governor or state official announcing the launch of a new policy, such as the availability of new Program funding, or the creation of a Task Force. Announcements are typically press releases.

Announcement

Agency or legislature has released an action that supersedes this version of the action.

Note: In this database, this status is specific to the Report action type to denote reports or plans that have become outdated due to more recently released resources.

Archived

Actions and policies that address emissions of or lead to more-efficient use of energy in residential and/or commercial buildings.

- Major policies in this database: utility energy efficiency standards, appliance efficiency standards, building performance standards, gas utility transition planning, clean heat standards

Buildings

Actions and policies that integrate climate change into state budgets and financial decision-making. 

- Major policies in this database: state green or resilient infrastructure banks, pension climate goals, insurance, climate risk disclosure

Climate Finance

Based on most recent “Proposed” action.

Developing

Actions and policies that reduce emissions from the power sector. 

- Major policies in this database: clean and renewable energy standards, 100% clean energy goals, offshore wind targets, energy storage targets, community solar programs

Electricity

Governor-issued directive based on existing authority.

Executive Order

Agency or legislature has released its final version of an action (e.g., legislation is passed; final rule is posted; final report is published). Governor-level announcements and executive orders are always final.

Final

Actions and policies that lay the foundation for accelerated state action on climate policies, such as climate action plans and GHG inventories, climate councils, and state-level GHG emissions reduction targets. Also includes Lead by Example efforts that aim to reduce GHG emissions and increase resilience across state government operations, including from state fleets, buildings, and procurement. 

- Major policies in this database: statewide climate action plans, climate councils, GHG targets, GHG inventories, cross-sectoral lead by example policies

GHG Targets & Governance

State bureaucratic structures (such as councils, working groups, offices, commissions, and task forces); or policies that direct changes to the normal operations and procedures of government.

Governance

Based on policies that have expired (ex: working group disbanded, program funding exhausted) or been replaced or repealed by a new Action.

Inactive

Actions and policies that reduce emissions from the manufacturing sector. Also includes actions and policies that reduce methane and other volatile organic compound (VOC) pollution from the oil and gas industry, landfills, and agricultural sources; and that reduce the production, use, and emissions of hydrofluorocarbons – super-polluting GHGs used in end uses like cooling, refrigeration, building insulation, and aerosols. 

- Major policies in this database: buy clean or embodied carbon policies, industrial emission standards, HFC policies, methane policies

Industry

Actions and policies that support and prioritize transitioning energy communities, building the clean energy workforce of the future, and achieving environmental justice (EJ) outcomes. 

- Major policies in this database: just transition offices and plans, workforce development programs, climate corps, EJ offices and policies, EJ screening tools, EJ investment mandates

Just Transition & Equity

Legislation is passed by the state legislature, which after governor signature (or a defined period, depending on state procedures) is then incorporated into state law.

Actions and policies that aim to utilize natural and working lands, such as forests, farmlands, wetlands, and other land types, as climate solutions. 

- Major policies in this database: NWL climate plans and GHG inventories, conservation and sequestration targets, healthy soils programs

Natural and Working Lands

In this database, Policies are mechanisms that implement all or part of an enabling Action.

Policy

In this database, policy statuses represent a simplified progress indicator for how states implement climate actions. Policy statuses are usually dependent on the status of the preceding action.

Policy Status

Actions and policies that incentivize cost-effective emissions reductions by setting prices or caps on carbon pollution through carbon markets. Also includes actions and policies that utilize the social cost of carbon and other GHGs to consider societal and environmental impacts of GHG emissions and climate change across relevant policymaking and decision-making processes. 

- Major policies in this database: carbon pricing programs and studies, social cost of GHGs in policymaking

Pricing Carbon & Valuing Climate Damages

State-administered programs including incentives (financial, certification, or other), funding (direct investment or grants), financing (green banks, loans, etc.), and technical assistance (state-provided consulting).

Programs

Agency or legislature has publicly stated their intentions to move forward with a specific action (e.g., regulatory notice of intent posted, governor rulemaking announcement), or released a draft form of an action (e.g., draft regulation or draft report is released for feedback).

Proposed

Rules created by a state agency to implement existing laws. In this database, can include dockets.

Regulation

State-produced written resources such as action plans, roadmaps, analyses, and guidelines.

Report

Actions and policies that help prepare communities for, and adapt to, the effects of climate change. 

- Major policies in this database: statewide resilience/adaptation plans, resilience offices/officers, resilience metrics and tools, resilient communities programs

Resilience

In this database, sectors are categories of GHG emission sources, economic subsectors, or climate-related issue areas that capture relevant state-level actions and policies.

Sector

Binding targets or goals to achieve certain levels of change, such as clean electricity standards, building codes, and vehicle emission standards; typically regulatory in nature.

Standards

A keyword that describes a component or focus of a specific Policy.

Non-binding targets or goals to achieve certain levels of change, such as the reduction of GHG emissions, the deployment of low- and zero-emissions technologies, or conservation/sequestration targets.

Targets/Goals

Actions and policies that reduce emissions from transporting goods and people. 

- Major policies in this database: clean car standards and incentives, clean truck standards, clean fleet policies, clean fuel standards, VMT goals, clean transportation plans

Transportation

A coalition of governors who are committed to taking real, impactful, on-the-ground action that urgently addresses the climate challenge. In becoming an Alliance member, governors commit to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Visit the [U.S. Climate Alliance website](http://www.usclimatealliance.org/) for more information.