A new era of science-based policy making has returned to Washington, D.C. President Biden and Vice-President Harris were elected with a mandate to take bold climate action.
We encourage Congress and the federal government to take ambitious action to strengthen our economy, create millions of new jobs, and protect our health by reducing carbon pollution, conserving outdoor spaces, investing in renewable energy and weatherization, and advancing cleaner, healthier transportation options.
The release of Maine’s new Climate Action Plan in December 2020 laid out a positive path forward for tackling climate change and growing our economy by advancing climate solutions and clean energy technologies.
Maine can be a leader in creating jobs in energy efficiency, weatherization, and clean energy research and development. We can also benefit by wisely harnessing our natural sources of clean, renewable energy like solar and wind power. In order for Maine to deliver the greatest benefit to our residents we’ll need action from Congress and the federal government.
Federal clean energy policies would result in a safer, healthier environment for Maine people. Investing in clean energy and energy efficiency would also mean thousands more good-paying jobs for Maine workers.
Facts about Climate Change and Its Effects on Maine
Maine is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which could have devastating impacts on our lobster, ski, foliage, fishing, hunting, and other nature-based industries. Our coastal communities—vital to our tourism economy—are threatened by increasingly severe storms and sea-level rise. Scientists agree that climate change is causing increased insect-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, and our country’s reliance on dirty energy sources, including oil and coal, contributes to high asthma rates in Maine children and contamination of our lakes, rivers, and streams, and the wildlife that depend on them.
