Today, Governor Baker signed into law the Next Generation Roadmap – sweeping climate legislation that establishes new, ambitious targets to reach “net zero” climate emissions by 2050 under the state’s powerful Global Warming Solutions Act.

The new law relies on an economically sound, sector-specific approach to address climate change that includes natural resources – as nature is the only tool we have to remove existing greenhouse gas pollution from the air at scale and at cost. With increased conservation, restoration, and available land-use practices, natural and working lands have the potential to remove an additional 1-2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution every year.

The Trustees helped author the comprehensive “Natural and Working Lands” provisions that direct the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to:

• Create a baseline and measure the natural carbon stored by lands across the state.
• Set a numeric goal for increasing the carbon sequestered and stored in the land and create a statewide plan to reach these goals.
• Promulgate legislation, regulations, programs, grants, incentives, and public-private partnerships to achieve these goals and implement the plan.

The Trustees looks forward to partnering with agency experts and landowners to implement natural climate solutions around the state, and on our own properties.

The Trustees also supports the new Environmental Justice (EJ) provisions that address issues surrounding environmental equity, inclusion, and justice. This new law defines an EJ community for the first time and empowers EJ populations to make their voices heard during project review.

We applaud the House, Senate, and Baker Administration for working together to make Massachusetts a national leader in tackling climate change, and for taking action now to avoid catastrophic impacts later.