The Maryland Commission on Climate Change's 2020 Annual Report was drafted and adopted by members during the Covid 19 pandemic - the same year in which Earth Day's 50th Anniversary was celebrated by masked volunteers, as seen on the cover.
The pandemic of 2020 presented many challenges for everyone
but the Commission never faltered in carrying out its work. Members and staff pivoted to
meet virtually. At the same time, structured racism in the U.S. was exposed
this year. In an effort
to promote climate justice for all Marylanders, Commission chair Ben Grumbles created
a third co-chair specifically in charge of Climate Justice issues; he appointed
the Chief Equity Officer for Charles County, Charmaine Brown to serve in this
new position.
This report contains some hopeful scientific evaluations upon which
the Commission’s working groups made several recommendations. It includes a call
for Maryland to adopt more ambitious Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction goals,
requiring at least 50 percent reduction by 2030 (up from 40 percent by 2030) and
achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2045. The Commission has led our state a long way since
its inception in 2006. It will continue to build on its progress to improve our
state’s environmental health while growing our economy. In fact, Maryland was named by the World
Resources Institute (WRI) as being the #1 state in the nation this year to accomplish
both feats simultaneously.
Maryland and the United States confronted unprecedented challenges in 2020. As the climate crisis continues to grow, the COVID-19 pandemic precipitated public health and economic emergencies and exacerbated economic, social, and racial inequities that have plagued disadvantaged and overburdened communities for decades. Amid these mounting crises and a nationwide reckoning with structural racism, the Maryland Commission on Climate Change continued its work to improve Maryland’s response to climate change. Through this report, the Commission offers a series of recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly to enhance the state’s efforts in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience, to better incorporate environmental and climate justice into the state’s climate approach, and to more meaningfully engage with disadvantaged and overburdened communities.
This report begins with a history of climate action in Maryland and of the Commission itself, together with an update to the science of climate change in Maryland based on recent findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It emphasizes the urgency of adopting a state plan to reduce Green House Gas emissions. In 2015, the MCCC recommended the Green House Gas Emissions Reduction Act (GGRA) be reauthorized with a new goal
requiring a 40 percent reduction of emissions from 2006 levels by 2030. Recommendations to the Commission by its four working groups form the crux of the 2019 report.
This report contains an update on the science of climate change; how it is already impacting Maryland’s ecosystems, infrastructure, and socioeconomic framework; and how it is expected to impact the State in the future. It culminates in progress being made to address these projections and the State’s goals at various points along the timeline, and the Commission’s recommendations to the State agencies and other State entities to continue the path forward.
This report includes an update on the science of climate change; how the changing climate is already impacting Maryland’s ecosystems, infrastructure, and socioeconomic framework; and how it is expected to impact the State in the future. It culminates in progress being made to address the projected changes and the State’s emission reduction requirements at various points along the timeline, and the Commission’s recommendations to the State and State agencies to continue the path forward.
This report contains a background on the history and structure of the Commission, updates on the progress of science and climate action in the global and local community, and an examination of potential and realized climate impacts to the State; culminating with the Commission’s recommendations for future state climate action.
This report provides background and recommendations on key challenges and opportunities related to the state of Maryland’s response to climate change. The report is also intended to promote a structured, predictable and adaptive process for monitoring and managing the state’s climate actions and policy decisions
.