2050 Emissions Limit and Sublimits
On December 21, 2022, in compliance with the Global Warming Solutions Act as amended by An Act Creating A Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy, the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) adopted statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limit and sector-specific sublimits for 2050. The statewide emissions limit for 2050 was set at Net Zero, defined as “A level of statewide greenhouse gas emissions that is equal in quantity to the amount of carbon dioxide or its equivalent that is removed from the atmosphere and stored annually by, or attributable to, the Commonwealth; provided, however, that in no event shall the level of emissions be greater than a level that is 85 percent below the 1990 level.” The sector-specific emissions sublimits add up to an emissions reduction level that is slightly above the required statewide 85% GHG emissions reduction target.
Additional Resources
Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050
Also on December 21, 2022, the Administration released the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050 (2050 CECP), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ comprehensive and aggressive plan to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050. The 2050 CECP highlights a broad suite of specific goals, strategies, policies, and actions to reduce statewide gross GHG emissions by at least 85% below the 1990 baseline level, and conserve and enhance carbon sequestration on natural and working lands to help achieve Net Zero in 2050. The 2050 CECP charts out the way Massachusetts will achieve the emissions limit and sublimits in 2050 through building a future in which the heat in homes, power in vehicles, and the electric grid can all operate with minimum reliance on fossil fuels. While this Plan sets out policies specific to each of the sectors of the economy, the 2050 CECP recognizes that clean energy technologies across sectors face some common challenges and solutions. These challenges will be addressed through cross sector strategies such as expanding workforce development, supporting clean energy innovation, and ensuring a thriving and just economic transition that will benefit everyone.
The Executive Summary of the 2050 CECP is available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cape Verdean Kriolu, Russian, and Khmer.
Additional Resources
Development of the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050
On March 26, 2021, the Governor signed into law An Act Creating A Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy, which requires the EEA Secretary to set statewide emissions limit and sector-specific sublimits every 5 years. The 2030 emissions limit shall be at least 50% below the 1990 baseline, the 2040 emissions limit shall be at least 75% below the 1990 level, and a 2050 emissions limit that achieves at least net zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions, provided that in no event shall the level of emissions in 2050 be higher than a level 85% below the 1990 level. It also specifies January 1st, 2023, as the deadline for the adoption of the 2050 emissions limits and sublimits, as well as the release of a comprehensive plan to achieve those limits. EEA developed and finalized the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050 (2050 CECP) on December 21, 2022 in compliance with the new law.
Public Engagement
The necessary transformations to achieve Net Zero in 2050 touch lives across the Commonwealth, and near- and long-term actions are critical to ensure a least cost, strategic, and equitable transformation. To help ensure an equitable and strategic transition towards Net Zero, EEA is working with stakeholders across the Commonwealth to ensure that development of the 2050 CECP is an inclusive policy planning effort.
EEA has been convening the GWSA Implementation Advisory Committee (IAC) since 2012 as a primary public body for advising EEA on greenhouse gas reduction measures. The IAC has several Work Groups, including Climate Justice, Buildings, Transportation, Electricity, and Land Use and Nature-Based Solutions. The IAC and the work groups will be convening throughout the summer and fall of 2022 to continue to provide input and comments on the development of the 2050 CECP.
As part of the development and finalization process for the 2050 CECP, EEA is offering additional opportunities for stakeholders and members of the public to provide comments:
- October 6, 7, & 11, 2021: Public meetings on EEA's approach to complete the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050.
- Meeting information is available in multiple languages here and on GWSA Public Meetings.
- The 2050 CECP presentation material is available in English, Español, 中文, Português, Kreyòl ayisyen, Tiếng Việt, and Kriolu.
- A recording of the virtual meetings is also available here.
- Translated versions of the virtual meetings are available in Español, 中文, Português, Tiếng Việt, and Kriolu.
Comments on the proposals for the 2050 CECP are accepted at this portal or gwsa@mass.gov until October 21, 2022.
If you have any questions on the public engagement process, please contact gwsa@mass.gov.
Public Comments on the 2050 CECP
136 public comments were submitted on the 2050 CECP in multiple ways. These comments have been compiled and posted below:
- Public Letter Comments for 2050 CECP
- Public Form Comments for 2050 CECP
- 2050 CECP Email Comments
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Additionally, we received 36 oral comments from public meetings held on October 6, 7, & 11, 2022.
Thank you to all who commented. Questions can be emailed to gwsa@mass.gov.
Resources
For more information on implementation progress of the CECPs, the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Dashboard is a public resource that provides key performance indicators of clean energy and resource deployments, emissions reduction, and carbon sequestration.