BOSTON (WWLP) – In Governor Healey’s inaugural address, she made several climate promises. Last week, climate activists held a virtual rally to tell the Healey Administration that the time to fulfill climate promises is now.
Throughout Healey’s campaign, she pledged to achieve a 100 percent clean electricity supply by 2030 and electrify public transportation with clean sources of energy by 2040. This is all taking into account that the state has committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The virtual rally participants felt like they had an ally in Maura Healey, but they did call on the administration for things such as quick action to address decarbonization of buildings, funding for the state’s clean energy, and stronger climate laws, including offshore wind laws.
The climate rally activists also commended the corner office for appointing the country’s first ever climate chief, Melissa Hoffer. Hoffer will have to report back to Healey with a full review of each executive office within 180 days.
Hoffer said during the virtual rally, “We’re at a very unique moment in our history, we’re all really going to need to work together in a way that is different from how we’ve done it before because we just don’t have time.”
The Baker administration reported that 2020 emissions were 31.4 percent below the 1990 level, when the goal was just 25 percent.
Massachusetts as a state has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 85 percent by 2050.