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The environment desk at Aspen Public Radio covers issues in the Roaring Fork Valley and throughout the state of Colorado including water use and quality, impact of recreation, population growth and oil and gas development. APR’s Environment Reporter is Elizabeth Stewart-Severy.

Colorado pledges to act on climate

Courtesy of instagram.com/govofco

On Tuesday, Colorado became the latest state — and the first in the Rocky Mountain region — to commit to fighting climate change.

 

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed an executive order that directs the state to cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 26 percent by 2025 — enough to meet or exceed expectations from the Paris Climate Accord. Hickenlooper also announced that Colorado will join the U.S. Climate Alliance. That group formed in reaction to President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

Hickenlooper’s executive order also sets goals for reducing emissions from the electricity sector and promoting renewable energy. The Colorado Climate Plan will be updated by Oct. 1.

 

Also Tuesday, Pitkin County commissioners heard an update about work to create a climate action plan, which is focused on reducing emissions.

 

Aspen native Elizabeth Stewart-Severy is excited to be making a return to both the Red Brick, where she attended kindergarten, and the field of journalism. She has spent her entire life playing in the mountains and rivers around Aspen, and is thrilled to be reporting about all things environmental in this special place. She attended the University of Colorado with a Boettcher Scholarship, and graduated as the top student from the School of Journalism in 2006. Her lifelong love of hockey lead to a stint working for the Colorado Avalanche, and she still plays in local leagues and coaches the Aspen Junior Hockey U-19 girls.
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