The Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) has approved Rhode Island’s 2025 Climate Action Strategy. The plan, chaired by Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Director Terry Gray, is designed to guide the implementation of the Act on Climate and provides a detailed assessment of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and reduction tools.
“The Climate Action Strategy is the result of hard work by all the EC4 agencies and, in particular, the climate teams at OER and DEM. Over the last 14 months they have worked very closely with the experts at Energy, Environment, and Economics, Inc. (E3) who provided contract support and modeling. Throughout the process, we have engaged with many different communities to get meaningful input and feedback,” said DEM Director and EC4 Chair Terry Gray. “This strategy reflects a clear-eyed assessment of today’s landscape and the challenges ahead. Rhode Island was moving in the right direction under the Act, but our efforts are clearly impeded by considerable federal policy changes.”
The strategy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% below 1990 levels by 2030. It was developed with collaboration from the Office of Energy Resources (OER) and public engagement.
“The EC4’s approval of this strategy charts a path forward for making progress towards the Act on Climate while recognizing new, significant challenges from the Trump administration,” said OER Acting Energy Commissioner Christopher Kearns. “The core of our climate work is increasing the share of zero-emission energy resources while maintaining electricity affordability for households. Supporting rate stability is a key foundation for meeting our emissions reduction goals, alongside continued investments in clean energy, electric vehicles, heat pumps, pre-weatherization, and energy-efficiency programs that are essential to sustaining progress.”
Since signing into law in 2021, Rhode Island has introduced programs supporting emission reductions and led in offshore wind development. Modeling showed that these actions would have put Rhode Island on track to meet its 2030 targets if implemented as planned.
However, recent federal decisions—such as imposing tariffs, rescinding Clean Air Act authorities for clean vehicles, ending Inflation Reduction Act tax credits for clean energy and electric vehicles, delaying offshore wind projects, and eliminating programs like Solar for All—have changed conditions significantly. The updated strategy notes these federal rollbacks will affect Rhode Island’s ability to meet its climate goals as originally intended.
As a result, state officials say adjustments are necessary to address these new federal policies while continuing efforts to reduce emissions without imposing unsustainable costs on ratepayers.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture and Forest Environment plays an important role in overseeing agriculture and forestry throughout Rhode Island as part of its mission to manage natural resources statewide (https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/agriculture-and-forest-…). The division works from its main office at DEM Headquarters in Providence (https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/agriculture-and-forest-…), partnering with landowners through initiatives such as the Farm, Forest and Open Space Act (https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/agriculture-and-forest-…). It offers services including product registration for agriculture businesses as well as stewardship planning for forests (https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/agriculture-and-forest-…).
For more information about climate science or ongoing climate action in Rhode Island visit www.climatechange.ri.gov or learn more about DEM programs at www.dem.ri.gov.
