Minnesota leaders unveil 2026 climate action plan with eye on carbon neutrality
Minnesota leaders on Wednesday morning provided an update to the state's climate action plan, laying out seven goals to guide their framework towards reaching carbon neutrality in 2050.
The plan was originally published in 2022 and laid the foundation for more than 40 climate laws that passed in the Legislature in 2023.
According to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Katrina Kessler, if the state implements only the current local and federal policies, Minnesota will cut emissions by 28% by 2030 and 39% by 2050. That falls short of the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, Kessler said.
"We need to do more. We need to move faster," she said.
On Wednesday, leaders including St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her unveiled the updated climate plan, which outlines 400 actions that Minnesotans must take across seven key areas.
The goals include implementing safe and sustainable transportation, managing landscapes to absorb more carbon and reduce emissions, ensuring communities are prepared for extreme weather and implementing a 100% carbon-free electricity system by 2040. Additionally, the plan includes ways for the state to protect health in communities, build a carbon-neutral economy and build climate-resilient buildings.
In the near future, the plan encourages Minnesotans to advance state policy that will reduce pollution in the transportation sector, as well as offset agricultural emissions and restore peatlands.