America’s Better Pathway shows what accelerated state and local action could deliver: nearly $1,000 in annual household energy cost savings and 5,000 fewer air quality-related premature deaths each year
Antalya, Türkiye (November 12, 2026) – As over 120 state, local, and cross-sector leaders from across the U.S. gather at the 31st U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP31), the Center for Global Sustainability (CGS) at the University of Maryland and America Is All In released a new report showing the cumulative benefits of subnational climate action, and how accelerating action can benefit American families and communities today and for years to come.
The report’s release comes on the heels of midterm elections that sent a clear signal: Americans across the country are looking to their governors, mayors, and local leaders to deliver lower energy costs, cleaner air, and more economic opportunities. That momentum is now on display at COP31, where subnational leaders are demonstrating that America’s clean energy transition has continued despite federal opposition and inaction.
America's Better Pathway assesses outcomes across two scenarios: a Current Pathway reflecting existing policies, and a Better Pathway driven by more ambitious state and local policies and favorable market forces. Under the Better Pathway, the benefits relative to the Current Pathway are concrete and far-reaching:
- Energy savings: Every state would see annual energy cost reductions ranging from $460 to $1,379 per household by 2035, a 13-27% decline across states.
- Health outcomes: Nearly 76,000 premature deaths linked to air pollution could be avoided over the next decade. For example, West Virginia could see a 20% drop in annual pollution-related deaths by 2035, Delaware 21%. The benefits are substantial even in states with less ambitious clean energy policies.
- Emissions: Greenhouse gas emissions would fall 38-46% below 2005 levels by 2035, without any new federal policy, compared to 22-32% under the Current Pathway
America’s Better Pathway also shows that benefits from ambitious action extend well beyond areas of traditional climate leadership. In Texas, which has not pursued a comprehensive clean energy strategy, residents would see $885 in annual household savings and approximately 330 fewer premature deaths per year by 2035. Wyoming and Oklahoma, neither of which has existing clean energy policies, rank among the states with the largest energy cost savings under the Better Pathway.
“The economics of clean energy have fundamentally shifted, and states and cities do not need Washington’s permission to lead. Subnational leaders now have the right tools and market forces on their side,” said Nate Hultman, Founding Director at the Center for Global Sustainability. “Lower bills, cleaner air, improved health, and fewer deaths from pollution are priorities for families everywhere. And, our analysis shows that some states with the least existing clean energy policy stand to gain the most. The question is no longer whether this transition is possible without federal action. This report shows it already is.”
“We have a clear pathway to lower energy bills for American families and improve lives,” said Gina McCarthy, Chair of America Is All In, former White House National Climate Advisor, and 13th U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator. “This report is telling us that carbon emissions in the United States continue to trend downward, the clean energy transition continues to accelerate across the country, and it's our states, cities, and market forces that are getting creative and driving this transition.”
“In Cleveland, we recognize how important it is to embed clean energy into the future of our city and ensure our residents benefit from that transition,” said Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Co-Chair of America Is All In. “That means making energy more affordable for families, improving the health of our communities through cleaner air, and creating good-paying jobs that strengthen our local economy. This report makes clear that every city and state has a role to play in delivering these benefits for the communities they serve."
The report’s case studies tell the same story across red and blue states, big cities and small towns, the clean energy transition is happening everywhere:
- Virginia enacted a suite of clean energy policies in 2026 —including virtual power plants and expedited solar permitting — expected to save participating households $2,200 per year.
- Colorado doubled its EV tax credit for 2027–2028, offering residents up to $12,250 off a new electric vehicle and directly offsetting the rollback of federal credits.
- Texas has financed 115 building energy efficiency projects through its TX-PACE program since 2013, creating more than 10,700 jobs while cutting 52,000 metric tons of CO₂ annually.
- Boise, Idaho is expanding a geothermal heating system that will cut utility bills by up to 80% for 300 multifamily households.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is bringing critical energy-saving upgrades to 14 city facilities, which are expected to generate more than $1.5 million in utility savings each year and create an estimated 300 jobs while reducing GHG emissions.
- Sun Prairie, Wisconsin is the first city in the state to attain 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations, through a combination of city-installed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that produce over 750 MWh of clean electricity annually and renewable energy blocks from Wisconsin Public Power Inc.
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina passed a bipartisan $19.4 billion transit investment that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions while placing 83% of residents within a 10-minute walk of transit and connecting them to 96% of county employment locations.
- Montgomery County, Maryland’s Building Energy Performance Standard covers buildings ≥25,000 sqft. By 2039, the county’s program is expected to nearly halve gas use and reduce annual GHG emissions from commercial buildings by 19%, while saving building owners nearly $2 billion on energy costs.
America’s Better Pathway builds on nearly a decade of research by CGS quantifying the emissions-reduction potential of U.S. subnational climate action. This effort first began in 2017 when America's Pledge, the preceding coalition to America Is All In, worked with CGS to assess the scope and scale of non-federal climate commitments in its first America’s Pledge report. In 2018, Fulfilling America's Pledge delivered the most comprehensive assessment to date of how states, cities, and businesses were driving down emissions. In 2021, Accelerating America's Pledge: Going All-In to Build a Prosperous, Low-Carbon Economy for the United States modeled how non-federal actors could achieve significant emissions reductions without federal re-engagement. When America Is All In launched in 2021, CGS continued as the analytical backbone, publishing a series of increasingly ambitious analyses with several research-backed reports, blueprints, and strategies.
Read the full report here.
About the Center for Global Sustainability
Through research, global partnerships, and policy engagement, the Center for Global Sustainability (CGS) at the University of Maryland (UMD) supports the development and implementation of effective action on climate, energy, and sustainability. CGS works through sustained, collaborative research partnerships in the United States and around the world. Its research programs cover national climate strategies, including national climate targets (NDCs) and long-term strategies; benefits of energy and climate transitions; sub-national climate action; non-CO2 greenhouse gases; data, inventories, reporting, and transparency; science and scenarios; and more. CGS’s work is also carried out through geographically focused programs focused on the United States, China, Indonesia, Brazil, India, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and other countries; and with subnational governments, including U.S. states, and other subnational actors within the U.S. and other countries. To learn more, visit cgs.umd.edu and follow us on LinkedIn, X, and Bluesky.
About America Is All In
America Is All In is a dynamic network of organizations supporting U.S. cities, states, businesses, schools, and civic institutions to help all of society deliver the transformational change needed for a healthy, prosperous, and sustainable future. Its partners encompass roughly two-thirds of the U.S. population, three-quarters of the U.S. GDP, and more than 50% of U.S. emissions. Led by Chair Gina McCarthy and Co-Chairs Governor JB Pritzker, Governor Gavin Newsom, and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, All In provides connections, resources, and platforms to help partners scale their climate action, transition to clean energy, and demonstrate U.S. non-federal climate leadership on the global stage. To learn more, visit www.americaisallin.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky.
