State releases reports on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency released two biennial reports that describe the state of Minnesota’s air quality and progress toward meeting the state’s statutory goals on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the MPCA biennial report, “The Air We Breathe: The State of Minnesota’s Air Quality, 2019,” Minnesota’s air quality is good overall, but it is not the same in all parts of the state and doesn’t affect all Minnesotans equally. Statewide, the air meets all federal standards and nearly all health benchmarks. Overall pollution levels have been going down and this trend is expected to continue. But Minnesotans in some areas experience pollution levels that, while within federal standards, are nonetheless high enough to worsen serious health conditions, and some people are more vulnerable to these effects. The report highlights new analyses and monitoring projects that are helping MPCA better understand and act on these inequities.

These days about half of Minnesota’s air pollution emissions come from vehicles, both on-road (cars, trucks, etc.) and off-road (construction and agricultural equipment, etc.). Only about a fifth comes from large facilities such as power plants and factories. Most of the rest comes from the smaller “neighborhood” sources all around us — dry cleaners, gas stations, home heating, backyard fires and more. Minnesota is also experiencing more “bad air” days caused by smoke transported from distant wildfires. With climate change worsening heat and drought in North America, the MPCA expect this trend to continue.

The MPCA and the Department of Commerce released the joint biennial report, “Greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota: 1990-2016” along with new and updated web pages.

According to that report, Minnesota’s climate is changing rapidly, and these changes — driven largely by human activities that cause emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) — are affecting our health, well-being, way of life, and natural resources. State agencies are working to protect Minnesotans facing these challenges, and are helping to lead and shape the national conversation about the impacts of climate change and ways we can adapt.

The Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 requires that the MPCA and Commerce monitor and analyze GHG emissions in Minnesota, with the goal of reducing our emissions 80 percent (from 2005 levels) by the year 2050. The Act set two interim goals: a 15 percent reduction by 2015, and a 30 percent reduction by 2025 (2005 baseline).

Although total GHG emissions have decreased, Minnesota did not reach the Act’s 2015 goal of 15 percent reduction. Across all sectors, GHG emissions fell by about 5 percent from 2005 to 2015; without actions taken within the state, GHG emissions would have risen over that time. This decrease was driven primarily by steep declines in emissions from electricity generation. In 2016, emissions had fallen 12 percent compared to the 2005 baseline.

The MPCA, Department of Commerce, and other state agencies continue to work on tracking emissions, and to develop common-sense policies that help mitigate the effects of climate change, to protect and preserve our environment and the health of all Minnesotans.