Maryland Surpasses 2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Goal

Maryland Surpasses 2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Goal

Publishes 2030 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report

BALTIMORE (October 25, 2022) – The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) submitted the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions in Maryland: A Progress Report to Governor Hogan and the legislature. The report highlights progress made since MDE published the 2030 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act (GGRA) Plan.

In this report, findings show that Maryland is on track for meeting its 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) targets and has more than achieved its statewide reduction goal for 2020 (25% from 2006 levels by 2020). In fact, by 2020, statewide emissions were 30% below the 2006 baseline.

“Under Governor Hogan’s leadership, Maryland is a national leader in combating climate change,” said MDE Secretary Horacio Tablada. “This progress report tells the story of our state’s progress, and highlights the important need for continued and sustained action and support to meet our goals.”

Maryland’s GHG emissions reduction plans advance each of its measures with an eye toward how they can best benefit overburdened and underserved communities, and address long-standing injustices. Additionally, the GHG emission reduction plans underscores the importance of ensuring a positive impact on Maryland’s economy that protects existing manufacturing jobs and creates new jobs in the state.

MDE, in partnership with the University of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, pioneered the use of high-resolution LiDAR data, ecosystem modeling, and satellite imagery to measure annual change in forest carbon. Building on research from the NASA Carbon Monitoring System, this best-available science improves Maryland’s progress tracking and allows for targeted planning to grow the state’s forest carbon sink. Maryland is the first state in the nation to use a remote sensing-based forest carbon monitoring system.

The 2030 GGRA Plan will be in effect until MDE drafts a new plan in June 2023. The new goals aim to reduce GHG emissions to 60% by 2031, and to achieve net zero by 2045.

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