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ARTICLE · 13 OCTOBER 2021

Illinois Bans Fossil Fuels

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Europe has been in the forefront in passing and implementing legislation to phase out fossil fuels and reach 100 percent clean energy within the next two decades.

United StatesEnergy and Natural Resources
A&O Shearman
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Europe has been in the forefront in passing and implementing legislation to phase out fossil fuels and reach 100 percent clean energy within the next two decades. This shift in energy resources is driven by international commitments (such as the Paris Climate Accord) and recent United Nations reports, highlighting the urgency of carbon reducing and offsetting measures. While the United States has generally lagged behind Europe in shifting away from fossil fuels, the Biden Administration has set forth a new climate strategy that includes the goal of reaching net zero emissions no later than 2050.1 While some states in the United States are considering climate change-specific legislation, Illinois recently became the first state in the United States to approve comprehensive legislation that aims to phase out fossil fuels and reach 100 percent clean energy by 2045.2

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