Last week, the Massachusetts state Senate approved legislation to move us forward on climate action. An Act setting next-generation climate policy (S.2477) calls for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 – a more ambitious goal than the current state target.
This newly introduced, fast-moving bill is a top Mass Audubon legislative priority, and would advance our organization’s Climate Action Plan. It was among three climate-related bills to pass, the other two of which address energy efficiency and electric and net-zero vehicle programs.
Currently, thanks to the Global Warming Solutions Act passed in 2008, Massachusetts is required to reduce its emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, with an interim goal of 25% below 1990 levels by 2020.
The new Next Generation bill ramps up those goals to achieve net-zero emissions for our state by 2050. It would set interim targets every five years, and would require a market-based, carbon-pricing mechanism for the transportation, commercial building, and residential sectors.
Mass Audubon, with our partners at The Nature Conservancy and The Trustees, helped ensure an amendment was included to recognize the importance of carbon sequestration by natural and working lands towards meeting emissions reductions goals. If the bill passes, this would mark the first time in Massachusetts this type of recognition would be given in emissions regulations.
The bills will now move on to the House, where we will work to amend it further to include industrial scale offshore wind – an important clean energy component for achieving emissions targets. Stay tuned for opportunities to help these Next Generation policies succeed!