Close
Executive BriefForewordIntroductionNational HighlightsFindingsHealth OutcomesSocial and Economic FactorsPhysical EnvironmentClinical CareState RankingsInternational ComparisonCOVID-era Disparities SurveyAppendixMeasures TableData Source DescriptionsMethodologyState Summaries
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
US Summary
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingUS SummaryPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT | Climate Change
Twelve states had four out of four assessed climate change policies in place, and 14 states had zero out of four in 2021. Transportation energy use declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Climate Change Policies
Currently in the U.S., the effects of climate change can be observed in rising sea levels, wildfires, droughts and extreme rainfall. Some states have made efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change by implementing the following four policies: legally binding electricity portfolio standards, carbon pricing policies, climate change action plans and economy-wide greenhouse gas emission targets.
Changes over time. Nationally, the number of climate change policies in place increased in Nevada (from two to three) and Utah (from zero to one) between 2020 and 2021.
Disparities. In 2021, 12 states had all four climate change policies in place: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. However, 14 states did not have any of the four climate change policies in place: Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Transportation Energy Use
The transportation of people and cargo accounts for more than one-fourth of the energy consumed annually in the U.S. Negative effects of transportation emissions occur in the air, water and ground. These effects include acid rain, smog, contaminated drinking water, heavy metal contamination, plant and animal die-offs and slowed decomposition of organic material.
Changes over time. Nationally, the amount of energy consumed by the transportation of people and goods per 100,000 population decreased 15% from 8.7 to 7.4 trillion British thermal units (BTU) per 100,000 population between 2019 and 2020. The rate of transportation energy use decreased 20% or more in eight states and the District of Columbia, led by 37% in Hawaii (12.3 to 7.7), 26% in both Massachusetts (7.0 to 5.2) and Washington (8.9 to 6.6), and 24% in New York (6.2 to 4.7).
Disparities. The rate of transportation energy use was 4.8 times higher in Alaska (22.5 trillion BTU per 100,000 population) than in New York (4.7), the states with the highest and lowest rates in 2020. The rate in the District of Columbia (2.4) was lower than the rate in any state.