As impacts from climate change become more visible and costly, leaders across the nation are responding. In the wake ofprojectionsfrom the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science showing that Maryland could face sea-level rise of more than six feet by the end of the century, Governor Martin O’Malley公开a state climate action plan this week. The initiative will reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also supporting job creation and economic growth.

海平面上升将使马里兰州以及大西洋海岸的其他州感到非常容易受到伤害costly and damaging floods，强调要大大减少正在加热我们星球的温室气体排放的紧迫性。州长计划中描述的行动旨在到2020年的2006年水平低于2006年的温室气体（GHG）排放量。the planis expected to producemore than $1 billion in net economic benefits and support more than 37,000 jobs, providing yet more evidence that smart environmental policy is smart economic policy.

Highlights of Maryland’s Climate Action Plan

Maryland’s comprehensive plan is even more ambitious thanthe national goalto reduce GHG emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The plan contains more than 150 initiatives that will reduce GHG emissions across the state’s economy, many of which build on and enhance policies that are already on the books. Together, these initiatives are expected to reduce annual emissions by the equivalent of about 55 million metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of taking 11 million cars off the road for one year. Key components of the plan target the energy and transportation sectors, which together accounted for more than 70 percent of the state’s emissions in 2010. Initiatives include:

  • 活力Initiatives (46 percent of emissions reductions): Maryland plans reduce energy sector emissions by expanding existing programs to encourage renewable energy generation and increase energy efficiency. Maryland is a participant in theRegional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)这是东北和中大西洋地区九个州之间的上限和贸易计划，以减少电力部门的排放。rggi最近宣布计划从明年开始将上限减少45％，这是马里兰州的计划估计将导致该州增加3.6公吨的二氧化碳。该州目前的可再生投资组合标准要求该州销售的电力占20％，才能到2022年可再生资源 - 新计划提议到2020年将标准提高到25％，这一步骤需要立法机关的批准。该计划还强调了节省能源的重要性：目前的效率目标要求人均峰值需求和人均电力消耗量减少15％，到2015年至2007年。为了实现并有可能超过此目标，国家计划工作的计划使用公用事业来增强计划以减少房屋和企业中的能源利用。

  • Transportation Initiatives (25 percent of emissions reductions)：减少运输中温室气体排放的新举措可能包括购买新车的更多经济激励措施，从而加速使用清洁型号在道路上更换旧车。该州正在考虑将电动汽车和充电设备的税收抵免纳入到2020年之前将60,000辆电动汽车置于道路上的目标。马里兰州还将努力扩大公共交通选择，包括新的公共汽车和铁路服务，并进行目标of doubling public transportation ridership over 2006 levels by 2020. While this goal may sound like a reach at first, it is important to note that the state is already well on its way to this goal: It’s already increased light rail ridership by 44 percent and total public transit trips by 20 percent.

将导致剩余减少的其他举措包括到2020年建造超过43,000英亩森林的目标，以及到2030年消除85％的马里兰州固体废物的策略。

Maryland’s Plan Complements Climate Action in Other States

Maryland’s 25 percent reduction target ranks among the most ambitious in the nation. But it is important to note that other states are also moving forward with climate action. Twenty-four states have energy efficiency standards, 29 states and the District of Columbia have renewable energy standards, and 10 states—nine RGGI member states和California- 参加上限和交易计划。

这些计划不仅可以减少各州的温室气体排放，而且可以产生重大的经济利益。美国节能经济理事会的分析foundthat Ohio’s efficiency standard could save customers more than $5 billion through 2020. Investments of auction proceeds from the RGGI program to date are creating more than $1 billion in lifetime savings for utility customers and returning more than $30 million to consumers through development of clean and renewable energy programs, according toa report根据有关科学家的联盟，由RGGI，Inc。准备，在过去的几年中，得克萨斯州的风和太阳能行业的增长已经supportedmore than 60,000 jobs and millions of dollars in investments. Iowa’s largest energy company正在计划到2016年，在爱荷华州增加了大约1,000兆瓦的风能 - 该项目的完成，该州预计将收到其从风中获得的40％的电力。而且，全国还有许多其他例子，即增长可再生能源行业有助于创造就业机会和其他当地经济利益。

State Policies Can Inform National Action

State experiences are showing that ambitious action on climate is achievable—and不必以牺牲费用来就业和经济增长。随着政府通过其国家气候计划的前进，像马里兰州这样的国家领导人可以作为有效减少排放策略的例子，这些策略可以被复必威官网是真的吗制和扩展。

As Governor O’Malleynotedduring his speech yesterday: “Climate disruption is real, and it is not an ideological issue any more than gravity is. It is physics, pure and simple.”

The气候变化的影响必威官网是真的吗在这里 - 以海平面上升，洪水，干旱，更强烈的风暴，更激烈的热浪等形式。马里兰州的计划展示了国家和国家可以成本效益protect themselves against these impacts. Indeed, they can’t afford not to.