Climate Policy
and Planning Program

The CNMI's Priority Climate Action Plan

The CPP program coordinates the development of the CNMI's climate action plans and greenhouse gas inventories, and is funded by a climate pollution reduction planning grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program aims to reduce GHG emissions, create good jobs, lower energy costs, address environmental injustices, and deliver cleaner air for communities across the nation. The Office of the Governor is the CNMI's lead organization for a CPRG planning grant.

Learn more about EPA's CPRG program

The Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) is the first deliverable due in the CPRG program. The PCAP provides an inventory of GHG emissions across multiple priority sectors, and identifies near-term, high-impact priority measures to reduce GHG emissions and other harmful air pollutants.

The CNMI's Priority Climate Action Plan identifies priority actions across six key measure areas: Green Electric Power; Green Buildings and Infrastructure; Green Transportation; Green Materials Management and Waste Reduction; and Green Workforce.

Review the Priority Action Plan

The CNMI's GHG inventory covers emission sources and sinks in five priority sectors: electricity generation, transportation, wastewater treatment, solid waste, and carbon sequestration from forestry management. The CNMI generates over 400,000 metric tons in gross GHG emissions annually; 99% from electricity generation and transportation. Nearly half, or 45%, is offset by forests.

Check out the GHG Inventory Data

The CNMI Green Growth Initiative

In January 2024, Governor Palacios and Northern Marianas College President Galvin Deleon Guerrero jointly launched the CNMI Green Growth Initiative, a community-wide, public-private partnership to propel the CNMI's sustainable development goals, including goals for climate action and clean energy, into concrete action. The Northern Marianas College is the CNMI's Green Growth Hub, and the NMC Dean for Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services and the Special Assistant for Climate Policy and Planning co-chair the Green Growth working group.

Read the Green Growth Initiative Directive

100% Renewable Energy by 2045

On April 15, 2024, Governor Palacios signed the Blue Planet Climate Agreement, joining the CNMI with other island communities in the Blue Planet Alliance and committing to 100% renewable energy by 2045.

Read the Blue Planet Climate Agreement