The Boston skyline seen from across the harbor with the Seaport on the left, central Boston on the right and Fort Point channel running between the two. , Massachusetts has some of the most ambitious in the country. But what the state doesn’t have is a detailed plan to achieve those goals.
The cost of implementing these recommendations will be high and will affect every part of the economy, but “there really is no choice in the matter,” Hoffer said. For example, if the housing department is going to spend money to create or incentivize more affordable units, it should make sure that the buildings are all electric, energy efficient and resilient to extreme heat and flooding.In addition to cutting emissions, “we have to make the investments that are necessary to protect communities form the increasing impacts of climate change,” Hoffer said. “Our baseline has shifted and we don’t have a stable climate anymore.
For young people interested in a tackling climate change, Hoffer suggested Massachusetts launch a Climate Service Corps to help prepare them for jobs in clean energy and climate resiliency.Massachusetts has launched or funded a number of clean energy workforce development programs. But the effort so far has been “insufficient” to meet the coming demand, according to the report. To give one example, by 2030,Training for these positions can take several years, so the clock is ticking.