Last week was the 51st Earth Day and following that this week is a busy week on the national climate front with President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate on the 22nd and 23rd. The virtual Leaders Summit will be live-streamed for public viewing. We are expected to hear new national greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and renewed global commitment on clean energy and climate action.
The Summit will reconvene the U.S.-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 percent of global emissions and global GDP. The President also invited the heads of other countries that are demonstrating strong climate leadership, are especially vulnerable to climate impacts, or are charting innovative pathways to a net-zero economy. A small number of business and civil society leaders will also participate in the Summit.
Key themes of the Summit will include:
- Galvanizing efforts by the world’s major economies to reduce emissions during this critical decade to keep a limit to warming of 1.5 degree Celsius within reach.
- Mobilizing public and private sector finance to drive the net-zero transition and to help vulnerable countries cope with climate impacts.
- The economic benefits of climate action, with a strong emphasis on job creation, and the importance of ensuring all communities and workers benefit from the transition to a new clean energy economy.
- Spurring transformational technologies that can help reduce emissions and adapt to climate change, while also creating enormous new economic opportunities and building the industries of the future.
- Showcasing subnational and non-state actors that are committed to green recovery and an equitable vision for limiting warming to 1.5 degree Celsius, and are working closely with national governments to advance ambition and resilience.
- Discussing opportunities to strengthen capacity to protect lives and livelihoods from the impacts of climate change, address the global security challenges posed by climate change and the impact on readiness, and address the role of nature-based solutions in achieving net-zero by 2050 goals.
Maine’s Climate Council has continued its meetings and sets legislative priorities. For the Climate Council’s Legislative Updates. See Below.
- LD 226 (link): An Act To Limit the Use of Hydrofluorocarbons To Fight Climate Change, is scheduled for a work session on April 21 by the Committee On Environment and Natural Resources. Read GOPIF’s factsheet on hydrofluorocarbons here (link).
- LD 340 (link): An Act To Allow for the Establishment of Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs, was voted Ought To Pass as Amended by a majority of the Legislature’s Committee On Energy, Utilities and Technology on March 23.
- LD 437 (link): An Act To Establish the Maine Healthy Soils Program, was voted Ought To Pass as Amended by a majority of the Legislature’s Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on March 16.
- LD 722 (link): Resolve, To Study the Establishment of the Maine Climate Corps, was heard by the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in a work session on April 7. The committee voted unanimously Ought To Pass as Amended on the resolution.
- LD 940 (link): An Act To Establish Appliance Energy and Water Standards was supported by a majority of the Legislature’s Committee On Environment and Natural Resources on April 14.
