Connecticut DEEP Report on Climate Change Effects in CT

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) issued “Connecticut’s 2026 Climate Progress: A Report Required by Connecticut’s Global Warming Solutions Act, CGS Sec. 22a-200a”: a draft report on Connecticut’s climate progress.

The 64-page report covers a wide range of information from regulations to research results and observed manifestations of climate change in Connecticut, among other topics.

This article outlines the report. The report itself is required to be published under state statutes and described Connecticut’s progress toward emissions and carbon sequestration goals. The report explained current scientific information and data about climate change, and compared Connecticut to other states’ and countries’ achievements.

In 2019, the Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order No. 3 (E.O.3)34, establishing the Governor’s Council on Climate Change (GC3) and strengthening Connecticut’s commitment to transition to a decarbonized economy and resiliency of the state’s economic, cultural, and natural resources to the impacts of climate change.

In 2020, the Council convened working groups, through which 61 recommendations were identified for near-term climate actions to achieve in the following categories:

• Focus on communities most at risk.
• Secure energy efficiency funds to improve clean, renewable heating and cooling.
• Achieve a zero-carbon electric grid by 2040 through solar, wind, battery storage, and a smarter grid, while creating green jobs. 
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) from methane and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and promote mitigation strategies.
• Increase EV charging infrastructure to reduce emissions.
• Employ nature-based solutions to increase resiliency to impacts of sea level rise, coastal and riverine flooding, and drought, while creating and enhancing ecosystem services and achieving net zero emissions through carbon sequestration and storage in forests, wetlands, and farmland.
• Improve infrastructure and land use, based on the available science and engineering standards. 
• Recognize climate change is a public health crisis from heat stress, air quality impacts, and vector-borne diseases.
• Ensure safe drinking water and climate change emergency management system. 
• Leverage federal, state, and municipal funding including creating resilience authorities, stormwater utilities, and an environmental infrastructure bank. 
• Ensure decisions be informed by best available climate science; support climate science education.

In 2020, the Council convened working groups, conducted a participatory process, and delivered the January 2021 Report: “Taking Action on Climate Change and Building a More Resilient Connecticut for All.”

That report showed that climate change had already adversely affected Connecticut residents, businesses, and infrastructure over decades. Extreme weather cost the state and private sector billions of dollars since 2010. This will continue, according to recent data on climate change.

Between 1880 and 2020, Connecticut experienced climate change impacts, including 8 to 9 inches of sea level rise; increased coastal erosion, warming of Long Island Sound; warmer hottest and coldest days of the year; increasing annual rainfall; decreasing annual snowfall; and increased rainstorms and flash flooding.

Extreme weather, both heat and cold, affects people’s health, especially the elderly, children, and people with pre-existing health conditions. Increased heat and length of the hot season increases populations of organisms like ticks and mosquitoes, which spread diseases. Increased flooding causes physical damage to homes and infrastructure and increased potential for pollution of drinking water and farm crops.

In 2025, the federal government took steps to reverse emissions reduction initiatives, including wind projects off the coast that were 85% complete before the President pulled funding for that project. The State of Connecticut stepped up to continue this project. Other federal actions include rolling back GGE pollution standards (e.g., power plant regulations, vehicle fuel economy standards), and the 2009 Endangerment Finding recognizing GGE harm both the environment and public health).

Connecticut cannot cover costs of all cancelled programs. The 2026 report highlighted how CT plans to support prioritized efforts identifying near- and long-term actions toward state targets. Opportunities were evaluated and efforts are being made to continue progress.

The 2026 draft report showed Connecticut has long recognized the need to address climate change and has worked with 23 other states to reduce GGE (greenhouse gas emissions). These actions have made a measurable difference. The latest GGE Inventory shows, as of 2023, Connecticut continues to keep GGE below pre-pandemic levels. For the first time, GGE in CT decreased while miles driven increased.

The New York Times reported on Feb. 10 “a small group of conservative activists has worked for 16 years to stop all government efforts to fight climate change. Their efforts seem poised to pay off.” Without federal support for climate resiliency and mitigation projects, each state has to bear the brunt of the effects of climate change.

For current information and updates on climate change, visit yaleclimateconnections.org.

“Yale Climate Connections is a nonpartisan, multimedia service providing daily broadcast radio programming and original web-based reporting, commentary, and analysis.” Yale Climate Connections is part of the Yale School of the Environment.