Hitting R.I. emissions targets will be tough

PROVIDENCE — The push for an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050 will be a challenge in the Ocean State, according to a preliminary study commissioned by the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council.

The study concludes that the near elimination of fossil fuels to generate electricity, heat homes and power cars will only cut Rhode Island greenhouse-gas emissions by 62 percent by 2050, according to ecoRI News.

The consultants say the target will be more attainable with the development of new technologies and emission reductions from other sources of greenhouse gases.

“This is a work in progress,” said Taylor Binnington, a scientist with the Stockholm Environment Institute.

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Somerville, Mass.-based SEI conducted the study with Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management of Boston. The consultants were retained by the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council to meet state emission-reduction targets set by the General Assembly when it passed the Resilient Rhode Island Act in 2014. •

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