Bottom Line on Regional Cap-and-Trade Programs
What is happening on the regional level and why is this significant?
Twenty-three U.S. states and four Canadian provinces are actively participating in the design and implementation of three regional cap-and-trade programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Participating U.S. states account for one-half of the U.S. population and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and one-third of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The Canadian provinces account for more than three-quarters of the Canadian population and GDP, and nearly one-half of Canadian GHG emissions. These efforts are formally observed by another 14 states and provinces across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Regional cap-and-trade programs account for the most significant domestic greenhouse gas regulatory efforts to date. In developing these programs, the regions have demonstrated innovation in policy design and program implementation that will inform national climate policy development in the United States and Canada. For basic information on cap-and-trade programs, please see The Bottom Line on Cap-and-Trade.