Make polluters pay for climate solutions

“Maryland’s Climate Pollution Reduction Plan” released last month by the Maryland Department of the Environment lays out a comprehensive path for the state to meet its climate change goals. As The Baltimore Sun reports, with the plan come costs, and they come at a time when the state faces a budget shortfall (“Maryland unveils official roadmap for slashing emissions by 2031,” Dec. 28).

Those who oppose addressing humancaused climate change will surely argue that the costs outlined in the plan are too high. Yet there is nothing more costly than climate change, and we all bear those costs. I have spent $13,000 on climate-related mitigation for my home, but that’s nothing compared to the estimated cost for the entire state. According to the Center for Climate Integrity, by 2040 the state will have to spend at least $27.4 billion just to address rising seas.

Who should pay for climate change has become a major issue. In the 2024 legislative session, Maryland lawmakers will consider bills that address funding for climate initiatives. One such bill, the RENEW Act, will require the largest fossil fuel companies doing business in Maryland to pay into a $9 billion fund for climate-related infrastructure upgrades, including strategic energy investment, electric school buses, flood mitigation and disaster relief. This bill will cost taxpayers nothing and force companies profiting from climate change to make a down payment for the destruction they cause.

Given the twin problems of climate change and the budget, Maryland lawmakers should pass the RENEW Act without delay.