New Mexico Releases State Climate Action Plan Charting Path To Net-Zero Emissions

Roadmap outlines 45 items to meet state greenhouse gas reduction goals

New Mexico has released its Climate Action Plan, a landmark report outlining the state's progress toward meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals and the pathway to achieving them.

The New Mexico Environment Department and Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department developed the plan over the past year in collaboration with state agencies, local governments, Tribal nations, residents, community organizations, industry, and subject matter experts.

The plan serves as a roadmap to meet New Mexico’s climate pollution reduction targets set by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2019 executive order directing the state to reduce climate pollution by 45% by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

“The New Mexico Climate Action Plan is more than a set of goals — it is an actionable roadmap to a resilient, energy-independent, and prosperous future for every New Mexican,” said Environment Secretary James Kenney. “We are confronting climate change head-on while building a thriving clean energy workforce and creating long-term economic opportunities, especially for communities historically overburdened by pollution."

“We're an energy state — that's not changing. What's changing is how we produce that energy,” said Erin Taylor, acting cabinet secretary for Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. “This plan shows we can protect the industry jobs New Mexicans depend on while cutting emissions and creating new opportunities in clean energy, all while stewarding our forests and natural resources."

The plan proposes 45 action items to address greenhouse gas emissions, including:

• Addressing Industry Emissions: Recognizing the oil and gas industry as the state's largest source of emissions and a key economic driver, the plan supports new rules to boost The Environment Department’s mission is to protect and restore the environment and to foster a healthy and prosperous New Mexico for present and future generations. industry productivity by mitigating methane leaks and exploring the potential of carbon capture technology.
• Decarbonizing the Grid: The plan supports grid modernization, investments in energy storage, and promotes geothermal and other emerging technologies to assure a reliable and affordable transition to a 100% clean energy grid.
• Energy-Efficient Buildings: The plan promotes modern, energy-efficient building codes and expands incentive programs to reduce energy consumption and utility bills for homeowners, renters, and businesses.
• Climate-Smart Agriculture: The plan recommends voluntary and incentive-based agricultural programs and practices that will lower emissions and increase agricultural resilience for rural communities of New Mexico.
• Protecting Natural Resources: Strategies in the plan include active forest management to reduce wildfire risk, enhancing forest health and expanding post-fire recovery programs.
• Waste Reduction: The plan targets methane emissions from landfills by establishing a statewide organic and food waste diversion program and expanding local recycling and composting infrastructure.
• Cleaner Transportation: The plan expands transportation choice for drivers by improving charging infrastructure for the use of zero-emission vehicles and introducing lower-carbon fuels into the New Mexico market.

The plan also notes that investments in New Mexico’s workforce and infrastructure, combined with innovative programs, projects, and policies, have driven meaningful progress toward the state’s climate goals while simultaneously achieving economic milestones.

When implemented as a whole, the measures are projected to assure New Mexico fully achieves its targets. Combined with reductions expected under current policies, the plan’s recommendations put the state on track to achieve a 45.4% reduction in emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels and an 82% reduction by 2050. The measures will prevent $294B in health care costs, property damage, and other impacts caused by pollutants.

The New Mexico Climate Action Plan was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, which delivered resources to NMED and EMNRD in July 2023, and the Innovation in State Government Fund established by Senate Bill 83 in 2025. The plan is a living document that will be updated to track progress and incorporate new state policies and goals.

The full New Mexico Climate Action Plan is available at www.climateaction.nm.gov/CAP.