Maryland Joins U.S. Climate Alliance, Governor Wes Moore Affirms Support to Combating Climate Change

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Last week, Governor Wes Moore reaffirmed his commitment to combating climate change by announcing Maryland’s participation in the U.S. Climate Alliance. Governor Moore proposed a $422 million investment in protecting Maryland’s environment through programs funded by the transfer tax that supports land preservation and operations and capital projects in state parks—along with another $129 million in General Funds to fully fund the transfer tax repayment provision as revised by the Great Maryland Outdoors Act.

“We are often told climate change is a problem for the future, something you only have to worry about if you live on farmland or in a flood zone–but climate change is an existential threat for our entire state, and it is happening now,” said Governor Wes Moore. “Confronting climate change represents an opportunity for Maryland to lead—and together, we can be a leader in wind technology, in grid electrification, and in clean transit.”

By joining the U.S. Climate Alliance, Governor Moore has committed to achieving the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius by:

• Reducing collective net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28 percent by 2025 and 50-52 percent by 2030, both below 2005 levels, and collectively achieving overall net-zero GHG emissions as soon as practicable, and no later than 2050.

• Accelerating new and existing policies to reduce GHG pollution, building resilience to the impacts of climate change, and promoting clean energy deployment at the state and federal level.

• Centering equity, environmental justice, and a just economic transition in effort to achieve climate goals and create high-quality jobs.

• Tracking and reporting progress to the global community in appropriate settings, including when the world convenes to take stock of the Paris Agreement.