Mitigation (Reducing Emissions)
The State of Rhode Island and its partners are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuels such as natural gas, fuel oil, and gasoline supply are the vast majority of Rhode Island’s current energy needs. By recommending and implementing smart energy policies-such as those that promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, Rhode Island is reducing its dependence on these fuels, advancing our State as a national leader in the new clean energy economy.
The transportation sector is the leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Rhode Island. The Division of Statewide Planning is leading or participating in multiple efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change:
- Moving Forward Rhode Island 2050, the State of Rhode Island’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), includes actions that work to reduce emissions.
- The State Supplement: Reducing Emissions in Compliance with State Act on Climate Law analyzes major contributing factors to our transportation sector’s greenhouse gas emissions, including:
- Vehicle Miles Travelled
- Vehicle Trips
- Commute
- Vehicle Fleet
- Legislation, Plans, and Policies,
and includes an analysis of baseline transportation emissions and of projected reduction in emissions due to recent zero emission vehicle policies and the strategies included in the FY26-35 STIP and the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) (including the Bike Mobility Plan (BMP) and Transit Master Plan (TMP), out to the year 2050.
Rhode Island’s 2025 Climate Action Strategy is a comprehensive statewide plan to implement the 2021 Act on Climate by mapping a pathway to deep greenhouse gas reductions—targeting 45% below 1990 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050—while balancing affordability and economic impacts. The strategy evaluates current emissions trends and outlines key actions such as improving energy efficiency, transitioning buildings and transportation away from fossil fuels, expanding clean energy like offshore wind and solar, and enhancing natural carbon storage through land conservation, all while emphasizing equity and workforce development in a “just transition.” It also reflects updated modeling and stakeholder input, and acknowledges that recent federal policy changes may complicate progress, requiring adaptive approaches to still achieve meaningful emissions reductions.
Energy 2035, Rhode Island State Energy Plan
In October 2015, the State Planning Council voted to adopt RI’s new State Energy Plan “Energy 2035” as an element of the State Guide Plan, codifying the Plan as the state’s formal long-term, comprehensive energy strategy. The Plan, produced by the RI Office of Energy Resources (OER) in collaboration with the RI Division of Statewide Planning, represents Rhode Island’s first data-driven energy planning and policy document. Its vision is to provide energy services across all sectors—electricity, thermal, and transportation—using a secure, cost-effective, and sustainable energy system. The Plan sets bold and ambitious goals and strategies for transforming Rhode Island's energy system and charges OER with providing a yearly status update on implementation. Directly related to the work of the EC4, the Plan identifies what opportunities exist in each sector of Rhode Island’s energy economy to achieve GHG emission reductions beyond the “business-as-usual” condition. Similarly, the Plan’s modeling shows that viable paths exist for Rhode Island to shift to a sustainable, low-carbon future, while simultaneously producing net economic benefits and increasing sector fuel diversity. The EC4 will continue to track the progress of the implementation of Energy 2035 and coordinate across agencies to help RI meet its key goals.
