More than 300 US state and local lawmakers have pledged their support for 50% energy from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 2050 in a letter to President Barack Obama.

Big states like California and New York have already ordered their respective administrative body’s to draft mandates for clean energy.

New York State Public service commission was recently ordered by its governor, Andrew Cuomo to draft a policy that would enable the state to receive 50% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. Cuomo also called for a 40% reduction in emissions.

“Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time, and we must act now. As discussions continue in Paris, we are taking real, enforceable actions in New York to lay the foundation for a thriving clean energy economy. With one of the most aggressive renewable energy goals of any state in the nation, we are leading by example to ensure the possibility of a bright future for generations to come,” The governor said.

The United states have been slowly progressing in the field of renewable energy. Renewable sources have gone past nuclear in US total energy production. 4.44% of all generated electrical energy came from wind power in 2014. It is also to be noted that 13.2% of US domestic electricity came from Renewables in 2014.

Though growth in renewable energy has been quite steady, the US is quiet behind European Countries in harnessing clean energy. E. Donald Elliot, a professor of law in Yale Law School points out that the US had every plan and resources to compete against the Europeans since the federal U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was formed in 1977 but most of the annual plans that were made every 2 years were ignored . Mr. Elliot further adds that national energy policy plan made in 2011 was the most effective in 35 years.