News

The speech: www.mass.gov/news/governor-baker-delivers-2020-state-of-the-commonwealth-address

Climate-specific portion of Gov Baker's speech: < the transportation mention was followed by a lot of boston-specific ideas > “Federal disaster relief spending today is almost 10 times higher than it was 30 years ago. “Let’s think about that. “From fishing and farming to critical public infrastructure and basic necessities like clean drinking water, there’s no dispute that the consequences of climate change are real and potentially devastating. “Thankfully, despite significant steps backward in Washington, we in Massachusetts continue to lead. “We created the first Municipal Vulnerability Program in the country, so local communities would have the ability to address future threats before they occur. “More than 285 communities have joined us. And with our support, they’re working to protect their property and infrastructure from the effects of climate change. “We’re committed to expanding this essential program to all 351 communities. And we’ll bring this Administration’s total investment in climate resiliency to just over $1 billion by 2022. “But cities and towns from the Berkshires to Cape Cod will need more support to finish the job. “That’s why we proposed creating a trust, which would generate about $130 million every year to protect critical infrastructure, fix culverts, design flood paths and adapt to our new reality. “Let’s face it: on this time is not our friend. We urge the Legislature to move quickly on this critical bill. “Massachusetts also leads the nation in procuring clean, renewable energy. “Two major affordably priced offshore wind projects await federal approval. Combined with our Canadian hydropower project, these investments would meet 30% of our electricity consumption requirements and at the same time eliminate 5.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every single year. “But yesterday’s solutions and yesterday’s plans are no longer sufficient. We must continue to take bold action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. “Tonight, I’m committing the Commonwealth to achieving an ambitious climate goal: net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. “That is why we’re working with our colleagues across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states on a Regional Transportation and Climate Initiative. This encompasses 70 million people and 50 million vehicles. “Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation have been on the rise for decades and now represent 40% of this state’s total emissions. Unless we take on transportation, we won’t meet our objectives. “I get that this is going to be hard. But together, we have a real opportunity, and a responsibility to achieve a significant reduction in transportation emissions. “RGGI, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative that our proposal is based on, has worked for 10 years. Power plants have adopted clean energy solutions and funded energy efficiency programs, investing 3.3 billion dollars across the region. Greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector have dropped by nearly 50%. “Applied to the transportation sector, the same market mechanisms can encourage automakers and fuel suppliers to find efficiencies and deploy cleaner fuels. “In addition, the Transportation Climate Initiative will deliver millions of dollars in needed investments in our transportation infrastructure. It’s a critical part in expanding public transportation, transforming our highways and reducing congestion. “But our transportation challenges are far more expansive than just climate change.

My heroine!