“Gobsmackingly bananas.” This colorful term was how one climate scientist described 2023, the hottest year ever. Then came 2024, which is likely to set fire to the previous year’s short-lived record. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Eric Howard is the executive director of E2Tech. Jeff Marks is the executive director of ClimateWork Maine. Both are based in Portland. The impacts of climate change are palpable here in Maine. Winters grow shorter. Ice thaws more quickly in lakes and rivers. Tick outbreaks surge. Sea levels are rising and intense storms leave coastal communities devastated and facing tens of millions of dollars in cleanup and rebuilding costs – part of the billion-dollar disasters that are becoming the norm across the country. Maine’s major business sectors — tourism, farming, forestry, and fishing — must recalibrate for the future as floods, droughts, and fires multiply, intensify and destroy. Following a national election that had 80 million Americans calling for reduced emphasis on climate, federal leadership on this issue may soon end, and funds that support energy transitions and incentives will most likely dramatically decline. These changes will push activity to the state and local levels, requiring us to work together more collaboratively. Help is on the way. In November, Gov. Janet Mills and the Maine Climate Council released an updated state climate action plan, Maine Won’t Wait 2.0. The new state plan sets strategies to accelerate Maine’s transition to clean electricity and transportation, smarter and more efficient buildings, technology and infrastructure investments and economic growth with concerted and coordinated climate action. Its recommendations seek to protect natural lands and waters and the communities and workers that depend on them in their personal and professional lives. This plan and others serve as models for the rest of the country. In December, the Governor’s Energy Office released […]