Report: Oregon lagging behind on climate goals

PORTLAND – A new report has found that Oregon is not reducing greenhouse gas emissions fast enough to meet its goals.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that the Oregon Global Warming Commission will deliver findings to state lawmakers this week showing that the state is not even close to being on track to meet is 2020 goals.

The state is lagging behind despite ambitious legislation that targeted emissions from the electricity and transportation sectors.

The report blamed, in part, higher emissions from vehicles. It said population growth, a strong economy and cheap gas have resulted in more people driving more miles and buying less fuel-efficient cars.

It’s not clear whether state lawmakers will do anything to further curb emissions. The report comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is moving to undo federal climate change policies.