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North Dakota Climate Initiative: Working Together for Tomorrow
North Dakota's First Ever Statewide Sustainability Plan
In 2023, North Dakota embarked on developing its first environmental sustainability plan, aimed at identifying practical opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This plan is designed to align with our commitment to prudent stewardship of our natural resources, while reflecting our core values, fostering innovation, and envisioning a prosperous future.
Our goal is to create a plan that is sensible and beneficial for our unique economic landscape, and which opens doors to new opportunities beyond our borders. We are actively engaging with residents, communities, Tribes, industries, and government entities through July 2025 to explore actionable and ambitious measures that support a sustainable environment, vibrant communities, and a robust economy for both present and future generations.
We invite all residents to participate in shaping this plan, contributing their insights and ideas to ensure it meets our collective needs and aspirations. Together, we can work towards a sustainable future that reflects our shared values and enhances North Dakota’s well-being.
Coloring Page Submissions
We created a custom North Dakota Climate Initiative coloring page to help inspire creativity and conversation around sustainability.
If you’d like to participate, download and print the coloring page, color it in, and send us a photo of your masterpiece! Submission instructions are included in the PDF.
Download the Coloring Page
What is North Dakota's Climate Initiative?
As part of our commitment to environmental stewardship, North Dakota is developing a Sustainability Plan that began in 2023 and will continue through 2025. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is collaborating with residents, community leaders, and key economic sectors to create the state’s first comprehensive plan focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Governor Burgum has designated the DEQ as the lead agency for managing the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DEQ has received $3 million in federal grants to develop two key plans: the Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP), due by March 1, 2024, and the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), due by December 1, 2025. For more details, visit the EPA's CPRG program page.
The resulting Sustainability Plan will outline innovative strategies aimed at reducing emissions while supporting vibrant communities across the state.
DEQ has learned a lot already:
- North Dakotans already proactively do a lot to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These stories need to be told.
- We are resilient. North Dakotans are determined and used to overcoming challenges, from extreme weather and wildfire smoke to market pressures and conflict.
- We have science and data that we’ve never had before. Practical and innovative solutions are possible – that’s who we are and what we do.
Community Survey Results
Fall 2024 Community Survey Results
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Where Do Our Emissions Come From?
Baseline measurement of greenhouse gas emissions (primarily carbon dioxide, methane and other gases) gives us our starting point. Here’s what we already know from research conducted by UND’s Energy & Environmental Research Center from 2023 to 2024. As a next step, together we will create our goals and chart our path to get there.
The state plan includes a high-level GHG inventory for the state of North Dakota. The statewide inventory includes six sectors that were identified according to their importance to the state and emissions impacts:
North Dakota Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP)
Overview of North Dakota's Priority Climate Action Plan: ND PCAP Summary
Check out our full report: ND PCAP (with March 2024 Tribal Amendment)
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Nondiscrimination Statement
English:
The NDDEQ will consider every request for reasonable accommodation to provide an accessible meeting facility or other accommodation for people with disabilities, language interpretation for people with limited English proficiency (LEP), and translations of written material necessary to access programs and information. Language assistance services are available free of charge to you. To request accommodations, contact NDDEQ's Non-discrimination Coordinator at 701-328-5150 or deqEJ@nd.gov. TTY users may use Relay North Dakota at 711 or 1-800-366-6888.
Español:
El Departamento de Calidad Ambiental de Dakota del Norte (NDDEQ, por sus siglas en inglés) considerará cada solicitud de adaptación razonable para proporcionar un lugar para reuniones accesible u otra adaptación para personas con discapacidades, interpretación de idiomas para personas con dominio limitado del inglés (LEP, por sus siglas en inglés) y traducciones de material escrito necesario para acceder a programas e información. Los servicios de asistencia lingüística están disponibles de forma gratuita. Para solicitar adaptaciones, comuníquese con la coordinadora de no discriminación del Departamento de Calidad Ambiental de Dakota del Norte (NDDEQ) al 701-328-5150 o por correo electrónico a deqEJ@nd.gov. Los usuarios de TTY pueden utilizar Relay North Dakota llamando al 711 o al 1-800-366-6888.
