Climate change is no longer a future threat: it’s a crisis today | Opinion

RGGI has been in effect since 2008, and a recent review by the Acadia Center of the program’s first 10 years found that:

• CO2 emissions from RGGI-covered power plants have fallen by 47 percent outpacing the rest of the country by 90 percent, while reductions in other air pollutants from these plants have resulted in over $5.7 billion in health and productivity benefits
• Electricity prices in RGGI states have fallen by 5.7 percent, while prices have increased in the rest of the country by 8.6 percent
• The combined economies of the RGGI states have grown by 47 percent, outpacing growth in the rest of the country by 31 percent
• RGGI states have generated $3.2 billion in allowance auction proceeds, the majority of which have been invested in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs

Read the full article from Penn Live here.