Midwest

Wisconsin

In 2019, Wisconsin’s Governor committed the state to meeting the emissions reduction goals of the Paris Agreement and set a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. While the state’s electricity generation is still overwhelmingly from natural gas and coal, coal consumption is declining, with more than half of the state’s coal-fired generation capacity scheduled for retirement by 2026. Wisconsin’s net emissions decreased 15% from 2005-2021, compared to their emissions reduction target of 26% below 2005 levels by 2025.
GHG Reduction Targets
All targets relative to 2005 levels
2025 :

26%

Governor
Tony Evers (Democrat)
House Party
Republican Majority
Senate Party
Republican Supermajority
Legislative session
1/16/24 - 3/12/24
US Climate Alliance Status
Member

16

Policies Enacted or In Progress
across 5 policy areas

46

Policy Opportunities
across 7 policy areas

Midwest

12 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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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in Wisconsin

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

26-28% by 2025

Relative to 2005 levels

Establishing Policies
Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2019
Enacted
Empty column

Governor's Task Force on Climate Change Report

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2020
Enacted
Empty column

The 1990-2018 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory was published in December 2021.

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2021
Not Enacted
Empty column

Climate bureaucracy consists of dedicated climate offices and staff, interagency working groups, task forces, and other bodies made up of government staff. These bodies are often responsible for writing a state's climate plan and implementing the policies and strategies identified to meet its climate targets.

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance
Enacted
Empty column

Governor's Task Force on Climate Change

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2019
Not Enacted
Empty column

Environmental justice (EJ) community definitions identify the specific, quantifiable thresholds that designate a geographical area as an EJ community. These definitions account for multiple factors, including both environmental and socioeconomic stressors, that may contribute to persistent environmental health disparities.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
In-Progress
Empty column

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and three other state agencies are developing the Wisconsin Environmental Equity Tool (WEET).

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
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
In-Progress
Empty column

WI DNR – Environmental Justice Policy Advisor

Governor Evers signed an executive order to create the Wisconsin Office of Environmental Justice

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

Environmental justice (EJ) advisory bodies are responsible for making recommendations on EJ policy, integrating EJ and equity principles into climate policy, and increasing public engagement. These bodies can consist of all non-government members, or be a mix of government and non-government members.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
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
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
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 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
In-Progress
Empty column

The Green Ribbon Commission on Clean Energy and Environmental Innovation is advising the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and Department of Administration on the establishment of a green bank, known as the "Green Innovation Fund"

Cross-Sector
Climate Finance 2023
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
Not Enacted
Empty column

The social cost of carbon is a monetary estimate of the damage of each ton of greenhouse gases emitted. The social cost of carbon is used to quantify and monetize climate damages, representing the net economic cost of climate pollution to society.

Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation
Enacted
Empty column

10% renewable energy by 2015 | 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2019
Not Enacted
Empty column

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

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets
Enacted
Empty column

State of Wisconsin Clean Energy Plan

2024 Clean Energy Plan Progress Report

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2024
Not 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
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
0/5
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
not-enacted
not-enacted
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
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
enacted
1/6
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
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
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

Wisconsin received a D 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

Securitization is authorized for pollution-control investments, but not for the full cost of a power plant.

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Coal Retirement 2004
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2009 IECC.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2015
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
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

Electric utilities are required to achieve statewide energy savings equivalent to 31,676,270 gross life cycle megawatt-hours (MWh) for 2023-2026.

Gas utilities are required to achieve statewide energy savings equivalent to 776,085,000 gross life cycle therms for 2023-2026.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Wisconsin has enacted commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs.

Establishing Policies
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2009
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
3/4
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

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

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

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

Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) zero-emission vehicle mandates, also known as "Advanced Clean Trucks", require automakers to produce and sell a certain number of zero-emission MHD vehicles to fulfill a quota based on a percentage of total sales in states.

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

Public fleet electric vehicle (EV) procurement targets require that a certain percentage or number of vehicles purchased or leased by the state are zero-emission or electric vehicles. This can apply to passenger cars, light-duty vehicles, and/or medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in a state’s public fleet.

Transportation
Lead by Example
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
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
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) and EV charging infrastructure plans are documents that provide a framework to guide the development, coordination, and adoption of EVs and EV charging infrastructure.

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
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
Partially Enacted
Empty column

Wisconsin is ranked 29th out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists.

Policy Components
enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
not-enacted
enacted
2/5
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

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

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

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
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
Enacted
Empty column

Wisconsin passed legislation that provides crop insurance rebates for cover crops.

Establishing Policies
Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture 2022
Not Enacted
Empty column

Agriculture technical assistance programs provide state-driven technical assistance, apprenticeship and mentorship programs, and support securing additional funding for farmers to increase uptake of soil health practices.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture

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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