Boston Featured as Top City for Climate Change Action

The Climate Disclosure Project featured Boston, MA, as one of its 105 “A-List” cities for climate action in 2019 because of its ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction legislation, mayoral leadership, and commitment to comprehensive climate action planning since 2007.

Boston’s former mayor, Thomas Menino, issued an executive order in 2007 on climate change that set an ambitious goal for the city to reduce its GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2050. In 2008, Massachusetts enacted a law that required “the Department of Environmental Protection to establish targets for GHG emissions reductions below 1990 levels between 10-25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.” Boston’s most recent climate action plan, released in 2019, adopts an even more ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. According to the city, reaching carbon neutrality is possible if effective legislation is enacted and implemented in a timely manner.

The 2019 climate action plan focuses on three work areas: buildings, transportation, and energy supply. With sea level expected to rise eight inches by 2030 and as much as three feet by 2070, following the strategic initiatives laid out in the plan to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts is critical. Boston updates the city’s progress on its website. Thus far, most of the climate action plan strategies are in progress.

Three new climate-related bills have recently cleared the Massachusetts State Senate and will now be considered by the House. A January 2020 bill calls for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which directly aligns with Boston’s 2019 climate action plan. Senators overwhelmingly supported the two other bills, one on electric vehicles and the other on energy efficiency. The energy efficiency bill, which sets standards for products including common household and commercial appliances, passed on a 35-2 vote. Republican Governor Charlie Baker and Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo have both indicated support for the net-zero emissions by 2050 goal, so there is substantial momentum for these initiatives as the bills head to the House. This bipartisan support for climate change legislation positions Boston to continue to lead on crafting and implementing climate policy, as the realities of climate change continue to hit its shores.

Author: Phoebe Bride