New Mexico Climate Change Action Plan

Recognizing the profound implications that global warming and climate variation could have on the economy, environment and quality of life in the Southwest, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed Executive Order 05-33 on June 5th, 2005, establishing the New Mexico Climate Change Advisory Group (CCAG).1 The Governor directed the CCAG to prepare a report that includes a projection of the State’s future GHG emissions and policy recommendations for reducing New Mexico's total greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels by the year 2012, 10% below 2000 levels by 2020 and 75% by 2050.

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) organized the process on behalf of the Governor. NMED assembled 37 stakeholders, representing a broad range of interests and expertise, and the CCAG met six times from July 2005 to October 2006. During this same period, five sector-based technical work groups (TWGs) of the CCAG developed initial recommendations in the areas of: Energy Supply (ES); Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Waste Management (RCI); Transportation and Land Use (TLU); Agriculture and Forestry (AF); and Cross-Cutting Issues (CC). With oversight from NMED, the CCAG followed a consensus- building process designed and implemented by the non-profit Center for Climate Strategies (CCS). Applying a design similar to those used in other successful state climate initiatives, CCS provided both facilitation services and technical analysis to the CCAG in formulating its recommendations

.