By Bob Katzen

The Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Committee held a hearing on legislation that would accelerate the decrease of carbon emissions by requiring the state to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, instead of current law which sets the goal for 2050.

“I filed this legislation because the latest scientific consensus indicates the worst effects of our climate crisis have begun to unravel,” said sponsor Sen. Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton). “In terms of our collective progress toward net zero emissions, we are crawling when the science clearly demonstrates we need to be sprinting. We have now already reached the point where you don’t need to look at the science, just look out your window.