by Hannah DelSordo (Advanced Biofuels USA) The upcoming climate legislation of the Maryland General Assembly in 2021 will be focusing on general climate solutions, carbon pricing, and environmental justice.
Senator Paul Pinsky discussed his sponsoring of the upcoming Climate Solutions Now Act (SB926), also known as the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act. This will require Maryland to reduce emissions 60% by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2045. It will also require a percentage of state funds spent on climate change to go to underserved communities. The act also implements the planting of 5 million trees, and requires all new state vehicles to be zero emission vehicles. There are also plans to create a work group to protect fossil fuel workers. It calls for an increase in energy efficiency in infrastructure and new building standards for the state and private sector.