Climate
Climate and Clean Energy
In North Carolina, as in the rest of the country, climate change is already leading to more intense storms and flooding, dangerously high temperatures, droughts, rising sea levels, and damage to ecosystems and wildlife. At the same time, the state has experienced significant job growth and economic benefits by leading the transition to renewable energy, electric vehicle manufacturing, and other industries throughout the clean energy supply chain. Governor Cooper has taken numerous actions to bolster and complement leadership across North Carolina’s public and private sectors to confront the climate crisis while cultivating an economy that serves all residents for generations to come.
Executive Order 80
On October 29, 2018, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 80, which directed bold action on climate change and the transition to a clean energy economy. Executive Order 80 asserted that North Carolina would support the 2015 Paris Agreement goals and strive to accomplish the following by 2025:
Reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 2005 levels;
Increase the number of registered, zero-emission vehicles to at least 80,000; and
Reduce energy consumption per square foot in state-owned buildings by at least 40% from fiscal year 2002-2003 levels.
Executive Order 80 also directed the Department of Environmental Quality to develop a Clean Energy Plan, the Department of Transportation to develop a Zero Emission Vehicles Plan, the Department of Commerce to develop a clean energy and clean transportation workforce assessment, and the Department of Administration to develop a Motor Fleet Zero Emission Vehicles Plan.
On March 28, 2024, Governor Cooper announced that North Carolina had achieved Executive Order 80’s zero-emission vehicle goals two years early.
Executive Order 218
On June 9, 2021, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 218 to advance North Carolina’s economic and clean energy future with offshore wind. Executive Order 218 established procurement targets of 2.8 gigawatts of offshore wind energy resources off the North Carolina coast by 2030 and 8.0 gigawatts by 2040. The executive order also directed the Secretary of Commerce to establish the N.C. Taskforce for Offshore Wind Economic Resource Strategies (“NC TOWERS”) to provide expert advice for advancing North Carolina offshore wind energy projects, economic development, and job creation. For more information about the wind energy areas off of North Carolina’s coast, visit the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s website.
House Bill 951
On October 13, 2021, Governor Cooper signed House Bill 951 (Session Law 2021-165). House Bill 951 enacts three major policy recommendations from the Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Energy Plan, which was developed in compliance with Executive Order 80. First, the legislation requires the Utilities Commission to take all reasonable steps to achieve a 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from electric public utilities from 2005 levels by the year 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Second, the legislation authorizes the Utilities Commission to use performance-based regulation for electric public utilities, including decoupling revenue from electricity consumption, using performance incentive mechanisms, and utilizing multi-year rate plans. Third, the legislation requires the Commission to securitize certain cost associated with the early retirement of certain coal-fired electric generation facilities to the benefit of ratepayers. In addition, the legislation allows the modification of certain existing power purchase agreements, reexamines net energy metering, requires tariffed on-bill financing, and creates new renewable energy programs for consumers.
Executive Order 246
On January 7, 2022, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 246, directing action on North Carolina’s transition to a clean and equitable economy and building upon Executive Order 80. Executive Order 246 established new goals for North Carolina to:
Reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 50% below 2005 levels by by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions as soon as possible, but no later than 2050; and
Increase the total number of registered, zero-emission vehicles to at least 1,250,000 by 2030 and increase the sale of zero-emission vehicles so that 50 percent of in-state sales of new vehicles are zero-emission by 2030.
Executive Order 246 also directed the Department of Environmental Quality to update the North Carolina Greenhouse Gas Inventory, directed the Governor’s Office to conduct a North Carolina Deep Decarbonization Pathways Analysis, and directed the Department of Transportation to develop a Clean Transportation Plan.
Executive Order 246 also directs agencies to take steps to elevate the consideration of environmental justice, including by identifying an agency point person for environmental justice efforts. Each agency also will develop a public participation plan to ensure the public — especially underserved communities — are meaningfully engaged in government decision-making.
Read the Final Pathways Analysis
Análisis de las vías de descarbonización profunda de Carolina del Norte: Resumen Ejecutivo
Summary
Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 246 directs the development of a Deep Decarbonization Pathways Analysis (“Pathways Analysis”) to help the state better understand viable pathways to achieve net-zero GHG emissions across North Carolina’s economy by 2050 and interim targets. By modeling illustrative, forward-looking pathways to achieve emission targets, the analysis is designed to help policymakers and stakeholders understand the biggest opportunities to reduce emissions and sequester carbon, as well as further explore the tradeoffs between different emissions reduction strategies. The project will analyze various feasible pathways looking at a variety of factors ranging from technology trends to population growth.
Specific goals of the project are to:
Provide a comprehensive analysis of various technologically feasible GHG emissions reduction pathways to achieve economy-wide 2030 and 2050 GHG targets, including sector-specific emissions and sequestration trends over time to achieve the economy-wide targets.
Identify high-level policy and planning takeaways, drawing from individual pathways and a comparison between pathways, to will inform near-term, mid-term and long-term decarbonization efforts.
Equip policymakers and stakeholders with a better understanding of how to achieve deep decarbonization goals both across the economy and within specific sectors, building on extensive policy efforts underway and creating synergies with existing initiatives.
Presentations and Background Materials
Executive Order 266
In July 2022, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order No. 266 to improve the resilience of state buildings against flooding and sea level rise. The Order directs the North Carolina Department of Administration to work with stakeholders to update the state’s Uniform Floodplain Management Policy, which sets construction standards for state-owned buildings located in the floodplain. The policy was last updated in 1990 by then-Governor James Martin. In January 2024, DOA finalized the updated policy after extensive internal and external stakeholder engagement. The new policy prevents new state-owned construction in the 100–500-year floodplain with certain exceptions. It also requires state buildings to be built two feet higher than the minimum flooding elevation requirement and away from areas anticipated to experience sea level rise. Finally, the policy requires new construction integrate nature-based solutions into designs for all major projects.
Executive Order 271
On October 25, 2022, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order No. 271 to grow North Carolina’s zero-emission vehicle market. The order directed the Department of Environmental Quality to propose an Advanced Clean Trucks rule that would expand medium- and heavy-duty zero emissions vehicles in North Carolina. In 2023, the General Assembly prohibited the Department of Environmental Quality from moving forward with Advanced Clean Trucks.
Executive Order 271 also directed the Department of Health and Human Services to study the health and environmental justice impacts of transportation-related air pollutants in North Carolina, the Department of Transportation to develop a Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Needs Assessment, and the Department of Administration to prioritize the purchase or lease of zero emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
Executive Order 292
On October 24, 2023, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order 292, directing bold action to advance environmental justice. This new Executive Order builds upon Executive Order 246, by establishing the as the Governor’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council. For more information on Executive Order 292 and Governor Cooper’s work on environmental justice, please visit the environmental justice page.
Executive Order 305
On February 13, 2024, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order 305 to protect and restore North Carolina’s natural and working lands. The order established new statewide goals for North Carolina to
Permanently conserve one million new acres of North Carolina’s natural lands with special focus on wetlands by 2040
Permanently restore one million new acres of North Carolina’s forests and wetlands by 2040
Plant one million trees in urban regions of the state by 2040
Executive Order 305 also established a native plant policy for state government, streamlined conservation planning and wetland protection across state agencies, and directed further research on the benefits of natural and working lands. The order aims to leverage North Carolina’s unique ecosystems for their carbon sequestration and climate resilience benefits. The 2024 Greenhouse Gas inventory found that 34% of all carbon emitted in North Carolina is sequestered by forests and wetlands. The directives of this order build off of recommendations from the 2020 North Carolina Natural and Working Lands Action Plan.
Under Governor Cooper’s leadership, North Carolina is moving into a clean energy and climate resilient economy that will create jobs, reduce harmful emissions and protect our environment. Learn more about state agency climate, clean energy, and resilience initiatives by reviewing annually updated agency climate strategy reports.