Massachusetts takes on global warming
Our bold plan of action gets big results
Massachusetts has adopted an aggressive new plan to fight global warming, thanks in large part to Environment Massachusetts’ members and online activists.
Beacon Hill gave its final approval to our climate change bill, the Global Warming Solutions Act, just hours before it ended its legislative session on July 31. In the months leading up to the vote, along with our coalition partners, we lobbied Beacon Hill lawmakers, made the case with our research, and launched a coordinated grassroots push that kept lawmakers’ feet to the fire, ultimately helping to win the most significant global warming law in the state’s history.
Doing what it takes
The new global warming law sets a long-term plan of action to reduce Massachusetts’ carbon footprint up to 25 percent below 1990-levels by 2020, and 80 percent by 2050. The reductions meet the action urged by climate scientists worldwide. The law will require big polluters to ratchet down emissions, and should open the door to new clean energy breakthroughs as the state looks to meet targets with high-tech green innovations.
Because it provides a comprehensive vision on how to rise to the challenge presented by climate change, the Massachusetts global warming plan provides a strong template for other states and the federal government to follow.
Grassroots push pays off
Big carbon polluters fought hard against the law, delaying progress until the very last days of the legislative session. But a powerful grassroots push mobilized Environment Massachusetts supporters from across the Commonwealth to action.
More than 25,000 Environment Massachusetts members, online activists and supporters signed petitions and e-mailed or called their representatives in the months before the final vote. In addition to the flood of comments to lawmakers’ offices, Environment Massachusetts members attended more than 20 face-to-face meetings with legislators, urging them to pass the global warming bill, and brainstorming strategies to help advance the bill on Beacon Hill. The push paid off. We consider the new law one of the year’s signature accomplishments for Massachusetts’ environment.
