Joyce, P.G., K.M. Kennedy, L. Loubert, D. Talavera Zabre, S. Vo, J.P. Martínez Guzmán, N. Hultman, (2024). “State Spending on Greenhouse Gas Reduction In Maryland.” Center for Global Sustainability, University of Maryland. 32 pp.
- Of the 26 agencies surveyed, 17 reported spending to reduce GHG emissions in fiscal year 2024. Combined, these 17 agencies spent an estimated $3.1 billion on measures that reduce GHG emissions, as defined below. This represents 10% of the budgets for the 26 agencies surveyed and 7.8% of the total budget of the state of Maryland.
- The spending on GHG emission reductions falls into many different categories, with the most prevalent being spending to promote the efficiency of energy use in buildings and reduce emissions from transportation.
- On average, agencies estimated that 30.64% of their GHG reduction spending benefited disproportionately affected communities.
- To improve the accuracy of future annual spending reports, we recommend that state agencies coordinate with MDE to develop a methodology to enhance the data collection procedure.
Under the Climate Solutions Now Act (CSNA) of 2022, the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) reports annually on the amount of state spending directed towards greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, on co-pollutant reductions to the extent possible, and on the amount of this spending that is directed towards disproportionately affected communities. This is the second annual report on Maryland greenhouse gas reduction spending, compiled by the School of Public Policy and the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland, as well as Morgan State University. The report outlines a methodology for reporting GHG reduction spending at state agencies in congruity with the state’s GHG inventory that is divided into eight categories: electricity, transportation, fuel use in buildings (inclusive of residential, commercial, and industrial), industrial processes and product use (IPPU), fossil fuel industry, agriculture, waste management, and forestry and land use.