Senate Dems back climate change measure to enter Maine into Paris Agreement

AUGUSTA — Senate Democrats have backed a joint order calling on Maine to join the rest of the world in doing its part to fight climate change by joining the Paris Agreement.
 
Sen. Dave Miramant, D-Camden, submitted the measure that would have led Maine toward joining the United States Climate Alliance, a group of states committed to upholding the international climate accord signed in Paris by nearly 200 countries in 2016. The United States had been a leader in negotiations that led to the accord, but President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. would walk away from the Paris Agreement.

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In a 17-16 party line vote, every Republican present in the chamber on Thursday voted to kill the order. Every Democrat voted for it.
 
“Because of a lack of leadership on the national level, Maine must step up to the plate,” says Senator Justin Chenette of Saco. “Climate change is real, verified by science and data, and is one of the defining issues of the next generation. From ocean warming and acidification, shoreline loss, water scarcity, land ecosystem changes and the like, there are real and unavoidable impacts to our way of life if we don’t start addressing the root problem."

Twelve states and Puerto Rico have already joined the Alliance, with more states expected to join in the coming weeks. The city of Portland has joined the Climate Mayors network, a group of mayors from cities in several states that have agreed to support the goals and benchmarks of the Paris climate accord.