Maryland has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, and the state has developed a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act (GGRA) plan outlining how the state and local governments will meet this goal. The plan includes new energy, land use, transportation, building, and carbon sequestration requirements.
At the 2019 MACo Winter Conference session, “What’s the Plan? Meeting Our Climate Change Goals,” panelists gave their perspective on Maryland’s current plans.
Benjamin Grumbles, Secretary of the Environment, Maryland Department of the Environment shared the latest on Maryland’s plan to address climate change including an update that the State is on track to exceed it’s 40% by 2030 goal by roughly 4%. He stressed that Maryland’s plans need to stress a reduction in emissions from transportation and the building sector as well as energy production.
David Smedick, Beyond Coal Campaign and Policy Representative, Sierra Club of MD gave an overview of where greenhouse gasses originate, and how dangerous they are to the earth’s atmosphere. He remarked that counties can be a driving force in the reduction of emissions by updating building codes to electrify homes, and work with the State to develop plans to retire coal power plants.
Colby Ferguson, Director of Government Relations, Maryland Farm Bureau described how the farming industry is doing their best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and utilize more sustainable practices such as no till farming.
The session was moderated by Charles County Commissioner President Reuben Collins, and held on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.
The 2019 MACo Winter Conference, “Building for the Future,” was held on December 4-6, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, Maryland.
