Who’s Obstructing Climate Action in the Rhode Island Legislature?

Prompted by the lack of climate action in the Rhode Island legislature since the Act on Climate passed in 2021, student and staff researchers in the Climate and Development Lab looked into some key questions. Why have outcomes in the same state been so different? Why do so many climate and clean energy bills die in the legislature? What are the barriers to climate legislation in Rhode Island? Who is obstructing state climate legislation, and what strategies are they using? What approaches are being proposed in the 2025 Climate Action Strategy, and how have neighboring states moved forward on them? Researchers sought to answer those questions in ways that provide actionable information to advocates and insights for political observers.

Primary findings from the study:

1.     Rhode Island Energy, owned by Pennsylvania Power and Light (PPL), spent the most on lobbying (in the years it has been active) and was the most active opponent of environmental groups on climate and energy bills in our study period.

2.     Business coalitions and the RI Public Utilities Commission (PUC) are frequent opponents of climate policies.

3.     Rhode Island’s 2025 Climate Action Strategy proposes interventions that have been introduced in past legislative sessions--and faced resistance.

4.    Rhode Island has key state-level constraints that have posed barriers to climate action.

5.    Implementation is particularly challenging.

6.    Labor-environmental coalitions have advanced state climate policy.

View the full report here

Disclaimer: This report represents an initial phase of research, produced by a small team of staff and undergraduate students in Brown University’s Climate and Development Lab. The statements, views, opinions, and information contained in the report are personal to the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown University.