On December 31, the Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker released an ambitious masterplan for the state that requires all cars manufactured and sold to be electric by 2035.
The plan – called ‘Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap‘ – focuses on various factors contributing to carbon pollution. State administrators stress that cars are a significant contributor to carbon pollution, and any plan to achieve net-zero emissions successfully must include the elimination of fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
In the press release, the governor highlighted the harmful impacts of climate change caused by excessive carbon pollution levels. “The people of Massachusetts are experiencing record droughts, increased risk of wildfire, severe weather, and flooding in our coastal communities. The costly impacts of climate change are on display in the Commonwealth, making it critical that we take action,” explained Baker.
Kathleen Theoharides, the state’s Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary, said:
We know that achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050 will require hard work and collaboration across all sectors of the economy. The new roadmap establishes a blueprint that will help us achieve our climate goals in a way that is cost-effective and delivers significant benefits to residents across the Commonwealth, especially those in our most vulnerable communities.
The state has recognized critical areas of concern in the report to help cut carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Besides switching to electric cars, the report also outlines a shift from a fossil fuel grid to a renewable energy grid, and it also considers the energy efficiency of buildings. This would involve building improvements, including air sealing, insulating roofs and walls, and installing triple-pane windows.
Unsurprisingly, data shows that the lower-income populations in the state have less access to air conditioning than higher-income people. However, climate change is causing temperatures to rise to the point where heat exhaustion and heat stroke will become a threat. The plan highlights that all homes will need clean energy to facilitate home air conditioning.
Another area the plan is focusing on will be emissions from new buildings. The state plans to avert emissions from all future buildings with improved building codes and construction policies. The report estimates that by adopting such policies, 2050’s emissions would reduce from residential and commercial ‘new’ construction by 54% if implemented in 2030 and by 87% if implemented in 2023.
