AUGUSTA, ME – Tomorrow marks the two-year anniversary of Maine’s Climate Action Plan: Maine Won’t Wait. Grounded in science and community, the Maine Climate Council released the ambitious four-year plan to reduce emissions, prepare for climate change impacts, and strengthen Maine communities on December 1, 2020.
More than 250 Maine people served on the Climate Council and its working groups — and hundreds more logged on to virtual meetings, completed working group surveys, and advocated for a Climate Action Plan that is ambitious, specific, and equitable. This collaborative process set Maine apart, and the resulting plan has positioned our state as a climate action leader. This year, Maine’s plan was recognized as a leading example nationwide.
The Climate Action Plan includes bold goals to:
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Achieve state carbon neutrality by 2045;
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Incentivize cleaner technologies including electric vehicles, heat pumps, and properly-sited renewable power generation;
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Increase the total acreage of conserved lands in Maine to 30% by 2030; and
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Develop a new, ongoing Equity Subcommittee to ensure that Maine’s climate strategies benefit all Maine people.
The Mills Administration continues to demonstrate the commitment and leadership needed to make progress toward these goals. Through climate bills forwarded in the state legislature; federal funding to cut emissions and advance renewable energy through legislation including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act; and local actions supported by the Community Resilience Partnership, progress toward developing a more sustainable clean energy economy and healthier communities has been steady. In year two, the Climate Council’s focus has been on equitable implementation of Maine Won’t Wait, and the Equity Subcommittee will finalize its interim recommendations in January.
For more information on the Mills Administration’s record on climate, click here to view Maine Conservation Voters’ 2022 Environmental Scorecard (pp. 24-25).
Gov. Mills, the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, and Maine Climate Council members will discuss the plan’s progress at the Climate Council’s quarterly meeting tomorrow. Maine Conservation Voters’ Director of Policy and Partnerships Kathleen Meil has been invited to speak on a panel, where she will share insight on the road ahead for climate legislation related to buildings, housing, and energy efficiency.
Statement of Kathleen Meil, Director of Policy and Partnerships, MCV:
“Maine Won’t Wait positioned our state as a climate action leader and, at the two-year mark, we are meeting the promise of our ambitious climate action plan to reduce emissions, prepare for climate change impacts, build the state’s clean energy future, and enhance community resilience. Bolstered by unprecedented federal action and the largest-ever investment in climate and energy in American history, Maine is truly addressing the climate crisis at the scale that science and justice demand. With Gov. Mills leading the way, strong conservation and climate majorities in the State House, and a whole-of-government approach, we are building a stronger, more resilient, and more equitable Maine.”
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