Dr. Holly Parker, February 2021 JONAA Journal of the North Atlantic &Arctic
Jutting out from the United States’ northeastern corner, Maine’s gnarled coastline, if untangled, would stretch for more than 3,000 miles, all the way across the wild North Atlantic. Each day, as the sun rises on the United States, it touches Maine first. Maine’s history is tied inextricably to our place, to our forests, our rivers and lakes, and the bounty of the Gulf of Maine. For centuries, Mainers have carved livelihoods from and built communities in what can be a cold and unwelcoming landscape, but one we nonetheless cherish. Celebrating our bicentennial in 2020, we honored not only the stubborn and determined generations who came before, including the Indigenous peoples but also the place itself. Our home.
Mainers recognize that our future is also dependent on this rugged place; its continued health is vital to our health as people and communities. For the last four years, while Washington D.C. ignored its responsibilities to address climate, Mainers embraced ours. We recognize climate impacts every day, right here in our backyard, writes Dr. Holly Parker the Director of UNE North – The Institute for North Atlantic Studies at the University of New England.
Maine Won’t Wait
The Gulf of Maine is the second-fastest warming body of water in the world. Higher temperatures and acidification are disrupting species key to our blue economies. A once thriving shrimp fishery has closed; invasive species such a green crab are impacting our shell fishery. In our forests, our iconic moose are suffering the impacts of warmer temperatures. These massive creatures are being felled by surging tick populations, which are also impacting human health as they bring new vector borne diseases to the region.
When the Trump Administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement, Maine’s state and local governments, NGOs, research and education institutions and businesspeople filled the leadership void. Our congressional delegation, in particular Senator Angus King (I), continued to give voice to the challenges of a rapidly warming Arctic and its potential impacts to Maine’s economy, environments and communities.
Inaugurated in 2019, Governor Janet Mills (D), immediately prioritized climate science and action, establishing the cross sectoral and interdisciplinary Maine Climate Council and charging it to create a four year action plan to address climate change. The plan, entitled Maine Won’t Wait, was released in the waning days of 2020, an incredible achievement considering the challenges of policy making during a pandemic. Maine’s largest metropolitan area, Portland/South Portland, co-created its own climate action plan, One Climate Future, also in 2020. These plans, informed and endorsed by government, business, science, and community leaders are national models for addressing climate change and envisioning a more regenerative, sustainable and equitable future.
This brand of leadership, of a small state taking the reins of its own fate, comes as no surprise here in Maine. We have a history of “punching above our weight class” when it comes to climate and environmental leadership.