About the Maine Climate Council

On June 26, 2019, the Governor and Legislature created the Maine Climate Council, an assembly of scientists, industry leaders, bipartisan local and state officials, and engaged citizens to develop a four-year plan to put Maine on a trajectory to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 and at least 80% by 2050. By Executive Order of Gov. Mills, the state must also achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

Click here (link)  for the upcoming meeting schedule.

Click here (link)  to learn about the funding for the Maine Climate Council, and how you can support its work.

Mills Administration —
Early Climate Actions:

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“I pledge that my Administration will work to prevent and mitigate climate change at every turn, helping communities become resilient to those changes is already underway and embracing clean energy opportunities to create jobs and wean our state off fossil fuels. We will lead in this effort to ensure that our children and grandchildren will enjoy, as we do, Maine’s unsurpassed bounty and beauty.”

-- Governor Janet T. Mills

Climate Actions
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25

JOINED the U.S. Climate Alliance—
a bi-partisan coalition of 25 U.S. States committed to meeting Paris Climate Goals

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LAUNCHED electric vehicle rebate and infrastructure programs using VW settlement funds

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SIGNED legislation to restore net metering to encourage renewable energy for homeowners and small businesses

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ENDED the blanket ban on wind power development

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WITHDREW Maine from the offshore drilling coalition

RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD LD 1494
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INCREASED renewable power goals to 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2050

SOLAR & DISTRIBUTED GENERATION LD 1711
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INCENTIVIZES at least 375 MW of distributed generation

ENCOURAGES small scale and community solar projects

HEATING
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INITIATIVE to install 100,000 new heat pumps by 2025 with a focus on low-income residents

Guiding Principles

 

IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE of Maine’s communities, people, and industries to climate impacts
 

PRIORITIZE the welfare of Maine citizens—especially the most vulnerable communities
 

FOSTER the value of the State’s natural resources and natural resource industries
 

ENCOURAGE diversity, inclusion and equity of all Maine communities and people
 

UTILIZE the most recent scientific and technical information and measure progress

 

Working Group
Roles + Responsibilities

Each working group spent months developing its climate mitigation and adaptation strategies for the council. Click the icon for each working group to see its past meeting schedule, minutes, and supporting information.

 

 

Scientific and Technical Subcommittee
Roles + Responsibilities

The STS subcommittee drew on the latest climate change research to support the working group recommendations. Click the icon to see its past meeting schedule, minutes, and supporting information.

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IDENTIFY, MONITOR, STUDY + REPORT
the impacts of climate change in Maine
 

HIGHLIGHT CRITICAL SCIENTIFIC DATA
and knowledge gaps
 

PROVIDE SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTIONS
and maps of areas most affected
by climate hazards
 

IDENTIFY OPTIONS
for quantifying land- and ocean-based
carbon emissions and sequestration
 

IDENTIFY METHODS
to build climate change resilience
for Maine’s species