Scientific models predict that in the absence of substantial reductions in the burning of fossil fuels the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will double during this century. This is why many countries and localities around the world, including North Carolina, are increasing communication about the dangers posed by greenhouse gas emissions.

Of the 50 U.S. states, North Carolina ranks as the 36th highest producer of carbon dioxide emissions, producing more than 12-and-a-half metric tons of carbon dioxide per capita, according to a World Atlas article.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is ramping up communication about greenhouse gases. The NCDEQ’s primary focus is on carbon dioxide, which accounts for 82 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, carbon dioxide makes up 81 percent of all greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere.

Electricity, a major source of greenhouse gases

In a study of North Carolina’s greenhouse gas emissions between 2005 and 2017, the NCDEQ found that electricity accounted for the highest portion of greenhouse gas emissions at 35 percent. To increase awareness of North Carolina’s greenhouse gas emissions, NCDEQ made the results of this study public in 2019.

Paula Hemmer, a senior engineer for NCDEQ, said that analysts used data from this study to develop a goal of a 70 percent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the electricity sector by 2030.

“That was published in NCDEQ’s Clean Energy Plan,” Hemmer said. In October of 2021, the Clean Energy Plan (HB 951) was signed into law by Governor Roy Cooper.

The plan has multiple goals. In addition to a 70 percent reduction of carbon dioxide, the Clean Energy Plan calls for carbon neutrality by 2050, meaning that no additional carbon dioxide in the state will be released into the atmosphere. Long-term energy affordability and the acceleration of clean energy development and deployment are other key goals.

NCDEQ is communicating to the public the threats posed by additional greenhouse gas emissions. “When we published the greenhouse gas inventory in 2019, we issued a press release, we had a public comment period, and we presented the inventory at various state government meetings,” Hemmer said.

Live links on NCDEQ website

To communicate with the public, NCDEQ maintains a news section on their website where the department posts news articles and offers live links to meetings held by the department and other governmental entities. Notes posted on the NCDEQ website detail the agendas discussed during those meetings.

NCDEQ also offers signups for department press releases. Visitors can choose to receive press releases from all divisions within the department or just specific divisions.

NCDEQ is also active on social media. On their official Twitter account, NCDEQ tweets or retweets information at least once per day and often multiple times per day to their 9,000 followers. NCDEQ also has a Facebook page followed by more than 8,400 people. Posts appear nearly every day and often multiple times per day.
In addition to the creation of the Clean Energy Plan, the department has recently started other initiatives details of which officials will release in early 2022.

Hemmer said that even though state actions can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in North Carolina, the public can play a role as well. “Communicating to increase public awareness and having personal commitment to reducing your own carbon footprint is equally important to state actions,” Hemmer said.