Governor Mills recently journeyed to New York to address the United Nations’ General Asssembly, as reported in the Boston Globe on September 24: “Maine Governor Janet Mills announced the state would go carbon neutral by 2045 during her address to the United Nations General Assembly Monday afternoon. While speaking during the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York, Mills said she had released an executive order to bring Maine to carbon neutrality, which means having a net zero carbon footprint.
‘‘And if our small state can do it, you can,” Mills told the assembly, according to the Associated Press. “Because we’ve got to unite to preserve our precious common ground, for our common planet, in uncommon ways for this imperative common purpose.”
She said that although Maine is a small state of 1.3 million people, 90 percent is forested and the state is seeing the effects of climate change in a big way. It was the first time a Maine Governor addressed the UN, the AP reported.
The seas off of Maine’s 3,000 miles of coastline are rising and becoming warmer, and climate change is hurting Maine’s insect populations and the lobster industry, Mills said.
Mills, a Democrat, was elected last November on a platform that vowed to act on climate change. During her inaugural address in January , she promised to protect the forests and seas of Maine and vowed to reach a goal of 50 percent of electricity coming from renewable sources.”
On September 23, Governor Mills issued an Executive Order committing Maine to carbon neutrality by 2045. In order to meet these targets, the state recently established the bipartisan Maine Climate Council to provide recommendations.”
So it looks like Maine’s cities and towns can look forward to some gentle prodding from folks in Augusta. Or maybe not so gentle. The authors of Kennebunkport’s new Comprehensive Plan will strive to anticipate the road ahead, and help the community to be ready for what’s to come. – Tom