New Mexico nears 2025 climate goals

Organ Mountain News report

SANTA FE - The New Mexico Environment Department released two comprehensive reports analyzing greenhouse gas emissions across the state, providing the most detailed and accurate inventory of New Mexico’s emissions to date.   

Findings confirm that New Mexico is making significant progress in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, according to a news release from NMED. The state is projected to achieve a 29% reduction in emissions by 2025 compared to 2005 levels, keeping on track to meet Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s climate goals.

The reports, developed by Eastern Research Group (ERG) and Energy and Environmental Economics (E3), include:   

• 2005 New Mexico Oil and Gas Greenhouse Gas Baseline Inventory.  
• 2021 New Mexico Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Forecast. 

These reports, along with an overview presentation, are available on the NMED’s Climate Change Bureau webpage.  

Key findings in the reports include:   

• Greenhouse gas emissions from electric power plants in New Mexico have declined 60% since 2005. Renewable energy now contributes about 60% of current in-state electricity generation — surpassing the Energy Transition Act standard of 50% renewable energy by 2030.   
• Current policies, including New Mexico’s recently upheld ozone precursor rule and methane waste rule, lead to a projected 70% reduction in methane emissions in the oil and gas sector between 2005 and 2025. 
• Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in New Mexico grew 6% from 2005 to 2021, primarily due to increased use of diesel fuel. Under current state policies, including new motor vehicle emissions standards and the clean transportation fuel standard, fossil diesel use is projected to decline 11% from 2021 to 2030 and gasoline use is projected to decline 29% over the same period.  

Continued public and private investment in clean technology while New Mexico assures compliance with its laws and rules are key to meeting the state's ambitious climate goals, the release stated.  

As co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance, Gov. Lujan Grisham supports the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and New Mexico is committed to achieving a statewide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 45% by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels, according to the release. 

NMED will use these findings for the development of a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-funded Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. Public and private investment in clean technology are important to achieving New Mexico’s ambitious climate goals, the release stated.