BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 10, 2022
Mainers learned earlier this year that the state is approximately 75 percent carbon neutral, based on a first-of-its-kind analysis of Maine’s greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the credit for the carbon neutrality goes to Maine’s abundant forests, which capture and store carbon from the air. The numbers come with a caveat, however, as they are outdated. The state could be even closer to reaching carbon neutrality, based on projections. It is currently not possible to see whether the actions pursued under the plan are helping achieve carbon neutrality because the next analysis of emissions is not expected until the end of 2023. Since the Maine Climate Council’s climate plan was launched two years ago, Maine has installed more than 82,000 heat and cooling pumps, put more than 8,500 electric vehicles on the road, and weatherized more than 9,100 homes and businesses.