On the Path to Decarbonization: Electrification and Renewables in California and the Northeast United States

Climate change threatens our quality of life and the habitability of planet Earth for many species. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that, to reduce the risk that global temperature increases more than 2 °C above preindustrial levels, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developed countries must fall by approximately 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. A number of states and regions in the United States have committed to reducing long-term GHG emissions by this level, including California, New York, and New England. Several studies have evaluated the U.S. and state-specific long-term paths to achieving an 80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050. Less attention, however, has been given to the midterm transition challenges associated with meeting these long-term climate goals.