Maryland can seize the moment on climate crisis | READER COMMENTARY

All eyes are on Maryland: In the last weeks, Maryland’s Secretary of the Environment Serena McIlwain attended the UN Climate Conference in Dubai (COP28) promoting the state’s climate plans. In her own words, the state is set to roll out one of the “most ambitious climate goals on Earth.” We hope Gov. Wes Moore’s administration develops not only a strong plan and bold goals but turns those plans into action (“Maryland fills two new climate change jobs, one focusing on sustainability and the other on resilience,” Nov. 15).

In his first 100 days agenda, Governor Moore unveiled a robust climate plan to address the issues climate activists and environmentalists had been concerned about for years. So far, the administration has followed through with its commitments to begin implementing the Climate Solutions Now Act, pledged to grow offshore wind and expand community solar and complete the Purple Line and re-launch Baltimore’s Red Line. But more recently massive cuts to the state’s essential transit have been proposed, illustrating what can happen to an aspirational plan when faced with the reality of a funding shortfall or competing priorities. Moore recently said, “You learn about someone when times are hard — when you are tested.” He was speaking to the budget crisis, but we are also in a climate crisis. The publication of the governor’s climate plan will be another defining moment and fresh opportunity to showcase how he makes hard decisions.

We hope that he will deliver on what is needed — a climate action plan that is strong, equitable, well-funded and promptly implemented. To fulfill our leadership role on climate, in one of the states most vulnerable to climate change, we need to be building reliable public transit and cleaner transportation by prioritizing the completion of major public transit projects rather than cutting their funding. Instead of expanding highways, a strong climate plan will build infrastructure to support safe, walkable, bikeable communities and electric cars, trucks and school buses. To ensure that Marylanders can live, learn and work in healthy, safe and climate-friendly buildings, Maryland should transition homes, schools and buildings to clean, pollution-free appliances. A strong climate plan will lay out a map for action and assert that it is more than a vision, but a future.

In the upcoming weeks, the Moore administration is set to release its climate plan for 2024. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver thorough feedback to help ensure this plan will lead to action and live up to the praise it has received on the international stage.

— Josh Tulkin, Silver Spring

The writer is state director of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club.

Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter.