Shaping Maine's Climate Action Plan in 2024
Maine’s updated Climate Action Plan has been released. Learn more about it and read the new plan.
In his blog post, NRCM Climate & Clean Energy Policy Advocate and Outreach Manager Josh Caldwell lays out why Maine’s statewide Climate Action Plan matters and gives you some more details about the recommendations we asked for. Read Josh's blog.
Maine's Climate Action Plan is a vital opportunity to build a stronger, healthier, more prosperous, and resilient future for Maine.
In late 2024, the Maine Climate Council updated our statewide Climate Action Plan, “Maine Won’t Wait,” that was originally created in 2020 after incorporating a broad range of viewpoints and voices from across the state. NRCM experts participated in the energy, transportation, and waste working groups that provided recommendations for this update.
Climate Action Plan for Maine
On December 1, 2020, Governor Janet Mills announced Maine’s news Climate Action Plan. The Plan is grounded in the most comprehensive scientific analysis of the effects of climate change in Maine, including from scientists at the University of Maine.
The Climate Action Plan details actions needed to reduce climate pollution and create new jobs as part of the transition to a clean energy economy that will benefit Maine people, businesses, and our environment.
The Climate Action Plan was created by the Maine Climate Council (MCC), who determined that the costs of inaction greatly exceed the costs of taking action to accelerate the transition already underway to clean transportation, renewable energy, and resilient infrastructure.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine partnered with Mainers and peer environmental groups to advocate for actions that would deliver the most effective solutions for climate change in Maine. Now that the Climate Action Plan has been updated, we look forward to partnering with Maine people, the Mills Administration, elected officials, and state agencies to move the proposed climate strategies into action.
What are Some Issues that the Climate Action Plan Addresses?
Maine's Climate Action Plan includes a wide variety of recommendations to create new jobs and reduce pollution, including sharp increases in electric vehicles and residential heat pumps, additional support for renewable energy projects, assistance to improve community resilience, and programs to protect natural and working lands across the state, which act as critical carbon sinks.
Maine Climate Council
In 2019, Governor Janet Mills and bipartisan majorities of the Maine Legislature passed new laws aimed at improving public health and strengthening the economy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. A 39-member Maine Climate Council was established to create a new Climate Action Plan to provide recommendations for achieving the state’s bold climate targets.
According to a 2019 poll, 76% of Mainers view the work of the Climate Council as a top priority, even during the COVID-19 crisis.
The Climate Action Plan is the result of more than a year of work that included input from six working groups. These groups engaged more than 250 Mainers with diverse points of view from all parts of the state, including farmers, representatives of Maine’s fishing and forestry sectors, scientists, business owners, community and municipal leaders, policy experts, and state agency experts.
Input was received from more than 4,400 Mainers who reside in nearly three-quarters of Maine’s communities, helping ensure that the Climate Action Plan addresses the interests and concerns of Maine people statewide.
Background Resources
- Climate Action Plan website
- Poll: Majority of Mainers support bold energy, transportation policies to address climate change
- NRCM blog post: A Plan to Energize Climate Action in Maine
- NRCM blog post: Climate Action Recommendations for a Healthier, Stronger Maine
- Webinar: The Maine Climate Council — Everything You Need to Know
- Webinar: Clean Transportation and Climate Action for Maine
