This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.
This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.
On Friday, activists will converge on Washington, D.C., and in other cities around the world to pressure policymakers to combat climate change. The day of action is being called the Global Climate Strike, because it’s largely being organized by youth groups — many of whom are urging students to “strike” from school to spotlight climate change.
We have a list of some of the Maryland events related to the Global Climate Strike below. But we also thought we’d reprint some of our recent stories about the climate crisis and other environmental issues — and the ways Maryland policymakers are reacting:
–Auto emissions edict: Maryland officials vow to fight Trump order blocking states from setting tougher climate rules for cars.
— Climate change challenges: Maryland’s largest jurisdiction has ambitious goals to address climate change, but opinions differ on how officials are doing meeting those goals.
— Maryland’s energy workforce: A new E4The Future report shows reveals that more than half of the people in Maryland’s energy sector work for energy efficiency companies.
–Let’s make a deal: The Baltimore City Green Party urges the implementation of a Maryland Green New Deal. Learn all about the proposal and its guiding values.
–Climate debate: When the Democratic National Committee voted against sanctioning an official debate on climate change, it turns out that only one of 14 DNC members from Maryland who were present for the discussion voted in favor of a climate change debate.
–New protections: In early September, the U.S. House voted to ban offshore drilling — a top priority of environmental activists. Without any new protections in place, coastal states including Maryland could see a number of new lease sales in the coming years.
–Good neighbors for the bay: A solar industry exec. says meeting Maryland’s solar targets will require giving solar developers the flexibility to find locations on the state’s transmission grid that have room for new electric generation.
–Taking charge: Montgomery County boldly announced that it would take the lead in fighting climate change by reducing greenhouse gases by 100 percent – to zero by 2035.
–Get serious: Two leading environmentalists suggest Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay cleanup plan could be stronger. It’s time the state gets serious, they say.
–UMD is cool: The University of Maryland became the first university system in the country this semester to sign the Cool Foods Pledge to reduce the environmental footprint of campus dining services by offering more sustainably prepared plant-based menu options.
–Bay Bridge: Frank DeFilippo remembers the fight to build a second span over the Chesapeake Bay, just as a fight begins over whether, and where, to build a third span. And Queen Anne County leaders fret over the prospect of another crossing coming through their county.
–Solar guidelines: The Chesapeake Bay Foundation supports efforts to reduce dependence on carbon-based energy. However, cutting emissions is only one part of the climate solution: the other is conserving natural resources areas that act as a carbon sink and provide climate resiliency.
— Regional cooperation on Bay cleanup: The six Chesapeake Bay states and the District of Columbia met to discuss their progress in cleaning up the bay. Although Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) has criticized Pennsylvania for failing to meet its goals, he was largely conciliatory — and a leading environmental group fretted that the federal government may not be capable of enforcing the state’s cleanup commitments.
–On the road again: The head of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance argues that building more roads won’t alleviate traffic congestion — but will put more cars on the road.
–Hatching a plan: Maryland’s largest oyster hatchery was having serious production problems. Late in the season, things appear to have turned around.
–Priorities clash: Maryland denied permits for two solar energy installations proposed for Charles County, saying they could damage waterways, wetlands and forests. The decision illustrates the dilemma policymakers may increasingly face as they scramble to meet ambitious renewable energy mandates.
–Saving the Bay: Chesapeake Bay states and the District of Columbia submitted final plans for Bay cleanup to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A leading environmental group has given Maryland’s plan mixed reviews.
–What if: If you weren’t depressed enough about global warming, columnist Frank DeFilippo reminds us what Maryland could look like in a few years.
–Pipeline blocked: A federal court delivered another blow to a natural gas company that wants to run a pipeline under parts of Western Maryland.
–100% clean energy: The director of Policy and Advocacy at Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions Forum embraces the governor’s approach to achieving 100 percent clean energy use in Maryland.
–Hold the greens: The governor has issued an executive order designed to promote clean and renewable energy in Maryland, including the creation of a workgroup to study where to site major renewable energy installations in the state.
Now here’s a look at some of the Global Climate Strike events in Maryland on Friday:
Annapolis: Climate rally, 11 a.m., Whitmore Park, Clay Street and Calvert Street, followed by a march to the Alex Haley Memorial at City Dock for a “die-in.”
Baltimore: Climate rally at noon; meet at 201 E. Pratt St., march to City Hall, 100 Holliday St., at 12:15.
Columbia: Climate rally downtown, 2-6 p.m., 10480 Little Patuxent Parkway.
Frederick: Rally in front of Winchester Hall, the county government building, 12 E. Church St., 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Loyola University: Strike for climate change at noon; Loyola Quad, 4501 N. Charles St., Baltimore
MICA: Strike at 11:30 a.m., Cohen Plaza, 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore
Silver Spring: 9-10 a.m., greeting student protesters as they head to the rally in D.C., Silver Spring Metro station
Towson University: 10 a.m. rally at Freedom Square, before heading to downtown Baltimore
University of Maryland: Rally from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at McKeldin Mall
