Governor Gretchen Whitmer today released the MI Healthy Climate Plan, a roadmap for Michigan to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050 with interim 2030 goals.
Governor Whitmer joined Liesl Clark, Director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), business owners, tribal leaders, and students at a large solar array in Traverse City to announce the plan.
The MI Healthy Climate Plan proposes climate action that would create tens of thousands of clean-energy jobs, spur economic development and innovation, protect clean air and water, and improve public health. The MI Healthy Climate Plan builds off the leadership of tribal communities and cities and town across Michigan, in addition to the private sector.
“Michigan has been impacted by climate change, from a polar vortex and historic floods to dam breaks and week-long power outages. The MI Healthy Climate Plan identifies actions we can take to address climate change head-on, lower costs for Michiganders, ensure every Michigan worker has a good-paying, sustainable job, and every family has clean air, water, and a home powered by clean, reliable energy,” said Governor Whitmer. “If we follow the steps outlined in the plan and collaborate with public and private sector partners, we can build a Michigan where every Michigander has clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and access to healthy, affordable local food. Today, we are positioning Michigan to become the global center of clean energy innovation where workers can get good-paying jobs, from those that don’t require a college degree to careers in advanced engineering and science. We can protect our beautiful public lands and majestic Great Lakes, driven by our unyielding belief in a brighter future.”
“This is a uniquely Michigan plan. It was shaped by a multitude of Michiganders with varied perspectives on climate change,” said Liesl Clark, EGLE Director. “We heard from environmental justice, public transit, local food, and climate action advocates; an array of business and labor leaders; academic experts and local government officials; and concerned residents of all political persuasions and walks of life. The resulting MI Healthy Climate Plan will be a game-changer for Michigan’s economy and environment. It is a bold plan that a broad cross-section of Michiganders can rally around.”
In September 2020, the Governor committed Michigan to achieving economy-wide carbon neutrality no later than 2050. The goal included interim reductions of 28% by 2025, 52% by 2030, and maintaining net negative greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) after 2050. Concurrently, she charged EGLE, through its Office of Climate and Energy, to work alongside the Council on Climate Solutions to develop the MI Healthy Climate Plan, a state action plan to reduce GHG emissions and transition toward economy-wide carbon neutrality.
The plan positions Michigan as a climate action leader and focuses on actions to spur economic development and create good-paying jobs, lower energy and transportation costs for working families and businesses, work towards energy independence, mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, improve public health, and protect natural resources and wildlife.
The MI Healthy Climate Plan identifies what needs to happen for Michigan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 with a prioritization on actions from now until 2030. The plan’s recommendations fall around 6 pillars:
- Commit to Environmental Justice and Pursue a Just Transition
- Clean the Electric Grid
- Electrify Vehicles and Increase Public Transit
- Repair and Decarbonize Homes and Businesses
- Drive Clean Innovation in Industry
- Protect Michigan’s Land and Water
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Originally Appeared Here