Recognizing the implications that global climate change may have on the economy, environment and quality of life in Minnesota, Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law the 2007 Next Generation Energy Act. The law builds on Minnesota’s nation-leading energy policies of more renewable energy, more energy savings, and lower carbon emissions, and specifies the development of a comprehensive plan to reduce Minnesota’s emissions of greenhouse gases.

The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) was asked to help facilitate and provide technical support to a new Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group (MCCAG) that would prepare a Climate Mitigation Action Plan for presentation to the governor and the legislature in February, 2008. 

CCS worked closely with the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to create and manage the MCCAG, which began meeting in April 2007. This 56-member group, representing a vast range of public-/private-sector organizations and citizen interests, is using a stakeholder-based consensus building process to develop set of state-level policy recommendations  for reducing or sequestering greenhouse gas emissions. The MCCAG will also identify opportunities to promote energy-efficient technologies and clean, renewable energy resources that will enhance economic growth. 

Click on the Background button (left) to learn more about the science and impacts of global climate change; to see how MCCAG’s six technical work groups provide input to the group’s decision-making process; and how the stakeholder process itself is proceeding.

Next Generation Energy Initiative