West

Colorado

Colorado has over two decades of climate action that includes establishing a renewable portfolio standard in 2004 and emissions reductions goals in 2008. Net emissions decreased 9% from 2005-2021, compared to their mandatory emissions reduction target of 26% below 2005 levels by 2025. Ranking 5th in the country for crude oil production and 8th for natural gas production, over half of in-state electricity generation comes from coal and natural gas, complemented by almost 40% from renewables, which has more than quadrupled since 2010 and is dominated by wind.
GHG Reduction Targets
All targets relative to 2005 levels
2025 :

26%

2030 :

50%

2035 :

65%

2040 :

75%

2045 :

90%

2050 :

Net-zero

Governor
Jared Polis (Democrat)
House Party
Democratic Majority
Senate Party
Democratic Majority
Legislative session
1/10/24 - 5/8/24
US Climate Alliance Status
Member

42

Policies Enacted or In Progress
across 7 policy areas

20

Policy Opportunities
across 6 policy areas

West

11 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 Colorado

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

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
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
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
10/11
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
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
5/6
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
Not Enacted
Empty column

Residential energy codes are statewide building codes that dictate the energy performance requirements of newly constructed residential buildings.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes
Not Enacted
Empty column

Commercial energy codes are statewide building codes that dictate the energy performance requirements of newly constructed commercial buildings.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes
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
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

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

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 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

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

Colorado is ranked 6th out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
4/5
Transportation
Public and Active Transportation
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

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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