Ceres urges Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to act swiftly to sign into law landmark climate legislation that aims to ensure the Commonwealth achieves its ambitious net-zero emissions goal by 2050.
The Next Generation Roadmap, which the Massachusetts Legislature approved in the final days of the legislative session last week, is the Commonwealth’s most comprehensive climate legislation in more than a decade. In addition to codifying the state’s net-zero emissions goal, the legislation sets interim emissions reduction targets of at least 50% by 2030 and 75% by 2040 to ensure the state reaches its 2050 goal. It also includes an increase to the Renewable Portfolio Standard that will speed up the adoption of renewable energy by requiring 40% of the states electricity needs come from renewable sources by 2030, an update to the state’s appliance efficiency and building electrification codes, and a number of provisions that address equity issues in future state planning.
“Massachusetts legislators raised the bar on efforts to tackle the climate crisis and fast track the transition to a more equitable and sustainable economy. Given the severity of the crisis, it is critical that we get this legislation across the finish line,” said Alli Gold Roberts, director of state policy at the sustainability nonprofit Ceres. “The Next Generation Roadmap aligns with growing corporate efforts to build a net-zero emissions economy and attract forward-thinking companies ready to invest in the clean energy future. We urge Gov. Baker to sign this ambitious legislation into law to ensure Massachusetts is well positioned to rapidly transition the electricity sector to clean energy, and move away from relying on oil and gas with updated appliance efficiency and building electrification standards in place.”
The legislation also includes important equity components that environmental justice advocates pushed for, and that members of the business community supported. Specifically, the legislation codifies a definition of environmental justice communities that includes race, income, and english language proficiency; enhances the review process for proposed projects in environmental justice communities to account for the cumulative impact of all harmful emissions without limiting consideration to those from the proposed project; and ensures local stakeholders have access to the information they need to meaningfully participate in public processes.
“The impacts of the climate crisis in Massachusetts affect the health and well-being of residents in our most vulnerable communities. Comprehensive climate policy must proactively protect and lift up communities that bear the brunt of climate pollution. The equity provisions included in this legislation will ensure these communities have their voices heard in future climate planning in the Commonwealth. The governor should act now to get these important provisions across the finish line” Roberts added.
Ceres and its investor and corporate members have advocated for numerous components in this legislation throughout the most recent Massachusetts legislative session and would like to see it signed into law. In 2019, Ceres helped organize a letter in support of a net-zero emissions target, signed by more than 17 investors and companies including Autodesk, Bemis, Biogen, DSM, Eastern Bank, JLL, Novartis, Schneider Electric, Trillium Asset Management and others with significant operations in the Commonwealth. Last year, Ceres CEO and President Mindy Lubber sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Baker calling for his support of the net-zero legislation as a way to help Massachusetts build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic. And just last month, Ceres joined a coalition of more than 40 businesses and organizations in emphasizing to legislators the importance of including these environmental justice provisions in the final legislation.
Ceres looks forward to continued collaboration with Gov. Baker and the state legislature to keep the state on track to meet its net-zero emissions targets and ensure that all communities in the Commonwealth are able to reap the benefits of a clean energy future.
Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.