Climate Fast Facts: North Carolina

Clean Businesses (2007)	Clean Jobs (2007)	Clean Job Growth (1998-2007)	Overall Job Growth (1998-2007)	Jobs Lost (2008-2009)

1,783	16,997	15.3%	6.4%	191,700

Climate and Energy Resources

Latest Climate Science (Union of Concerned Scientists)
Global Warming & North Carolina (National Wildlife Federation)
Energy By the Numbers- North Carolina (World Resources Institute)
Cost of Delay (Environmental Defense Fund)
Meeting the International Clean Energy and Climate Change Challenges (The White House)

Jobs

The clean energy industry in North Carolina is growing much faster (15.3%) than the rest of the state economy. The state could gain 51,000 jobs and about $4.3 billion in investment revenue if $150 billion was invested in clean energy nationwide.

Clean-Energy Investments Create Jobs in North Carolina (Center for American Progress/PERI)
Job Growth in Renewable Energy Manufacturing in North Carolina (Blue Green Alliance)
Clean Energy Jobs in North Carolina (Environmental Defense Fund)
Clean Energy and Climate Policies Lead to Economic Growth in North Carolina (Environmental Entrepreneurs)

Opportunity

North Carolina could realize as many as 4,661 jobs manufacturing wind turbines and $1.55 billion investment in the wind industry alone if 50,000 MW of new wind energy is created at a national level.

ACES Funding for Efficiency Investments-NC (Environment Northeast)

Southeast Energy Opportunities: Renewable Energy Opportunities in North Carolina (World Resources Institute, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)

Charting a New Path for North Carolina’s Electricity Generation and Use (National Wildlife Federation)
The Clean Energy Economy: North Carolina (Pew Environment Group)

Energy Efficiency Program Impacts and Policies in the Southeast (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)
Renewable Energy Works: North Carolina

Cut Costs

The average family in North Carolina would save $4.61 per month on their energy bills and $18.45 per month on vehicle fuel costs if the American Clean Energy and Security Act was enacted.

Climate Bill Cuts Electricity Bills (Natural Resources Defense Council)
Climate-Protection Policies Cut Fuel Bills (Natural Resources Defense Council)
Summary of Competitiveness Provisions in ACES (Center for Clean Air Policy)
Analysis of Allowances to States, Energy Consumers Under HR 2454 (World Resources Institute)

Southeast Energy Opportunities: Water and Watts in North Carolina (World Resources Institute, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy)

Carbon Cap Critics Predict Healthy Economy in North Carolina under Cap-and-Trade (PERI/UMASS
Clean Energy, Green Jobs: A National Renewable Electricity Standard Will Boost the Economy and Protect the Environment (Union of Concerned Scientists)

Climate Consequences

Climate change is expected to bring major droughts and floods to the region, creating more uncertainity about fresh water availability. At the same time, sea-level rise will increase the risk of saltwater intrusion into important ground aquifers. Poor crop yields due to drought could result in millions of dollars of losses. Intense heat waves could lead to heart and lung conditions such as asthma.

More Variable and Uncertain Water Supply: Global Warming’s Wake-Up Call for the Southeastern United States (National Wildlife Federation)
Protecting North Carolina’s Economy, Communities from Global Warming (The Wilderness Society)
North Carolina: Safeguarding Wildlife from Global Warming (National Wildlife Federation)
Global Climate Change Impacts on the U.S.: Southeast Assessment (Union of Concerned Scientists)

Don't Rig Our Coastal Economy: The Threat from Offshore Drilling (Sierra Club)

Hotter Fields, Lower Yields: Global Warming's Impact on Agriculture (Environment America)

A Preliminary Analysis of the Effects of HR 2454 on U.S. Agriculture (USDA)

Climate Change in the United States: The Prohibitive Costs of Inaction (Union of Concerned Scientists)

Exposed: Social Vulnerability and Climate Change in the U.S. Southeast (Oxfam America)

State Action

While Congress debates climate and energy legislation on the Hill, North Carolina has passed some progressive climate-related policies. North Carolina has written a climate action plan. The state also has a renewable energy portfolio standard (12.5 percent by 2021), energy efficiency resource standards, and financial incentives for biofuels.