ORONO, Maine — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is NEWS CENTER Maine's Climate Change Special, which aired Nov. 12, 2021.
Gov. Janet Mills will hold a press conference at the University of Maine Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of Maine’s climate action plan and discuss progress the state has made in combatting climate change over the past year.
According to a release from the governor's office, she will also announce two new initiatives aimed at helping communities protect their residents from the impacts of climate change.
Mills' press conference is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. NEWS CENTER Maine will stream it live on our website, Facebook, YouTube, and mobile app.
According to Mills' office, she will be joined by:
- Hannah Pingree, director of the governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future
- Ivan Fernandez, distinguished Maine professor at the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute & School of Forest Resources and co-chair of the Maine Climate Council’s Scientific and Technical Subcommittee
- Jim Gardner, president of the Maine Municipal Association and town manager of Easton
- Cheryl Robertson, councilor for the town of Orono
Following the press conference, Mills is expected to deliver brief remarks to a meeting of the Maine Climate Council, which will happen inside UMaine's Buchanan Alumni House.
The climate action plan, called "Maine Won't Wait," was the product of contributions from more than 200 people serving on the Maine Climate Council, its six expert working groups, and scientific and technical subcommittee and equity subcommittee, according to the Mills' administration.
The plan is aimed at developing actionable strategies to address and mitigate the effects of climate change on Maine.
Earlier this month, NEWS CENTER Maine explored what our changing climate means for Mainers, and what can be done about it in a one-hour special.