Maine executive order: carbon neutral by 2045

Maine shall strive to achieve a carbon neutral economy no later than 2045, according to an executive order recently signed by Governor Janet Mills.

On September 23, 2019, Governor Mills signed her Executive Order 10: An Order to Strengthen Maine’s Economy and Achieve Carbon Neutrality By 2045. The order notes the negative impacts of climate change on Maine, as well as related educational and economic opportunities in clean energy development, energy efficiency, innovation and carbon sequestration through the state’s natural resources. It cites recent state action, including the enactment of a law requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt mandatory, declining, economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions limits, the creation of the Maine Climate Council, and Maine's decision to join the United States Climate Alliance.

Operationally, the executive order provides, "To further the work that is recently underway, Maine shall strive to achieve a carbon neutral economy no later than 2045." It requires the Maine Climate Council to provide recommendations required to meet these goals in its first report to be issued no later than December 1, 2020, and in every report thereafter.

The order also requires that all policies and programs undertaken to achieve carbon neutrality "be implemented in a manner that aims to grow the state’s economy, protect natural resources, and achieve positive impacts for the people of Maine."

It also requires the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to develop a framework for accounting and tracking progress on greenhouse gas reduction, and report on such progress every other year.