Massachusetts Executive Order 604 (2023): Establishing the Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience within the Office of the Governor
In January 2023, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey issued Executive Order 604, establishing a new Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience (OCIR) and Climate Chief position within the Office of the Governor focused on advancing Massachusetts’ climate adaptation and mitigation goals. Both OCIR and the Climate Chief are meant to embrace a whole-of-government response to climate change. Massachusetts is the first state to establish a climate resilience position at the cabinet level. OCIR coordinates policy making, regulations, and stakeholders across the state. The Climate Chief identifies how climate change impacts state-level decision making in policy, legislation, and funding.
Climate change is impacting nature, communities, the economy, and infrastructure in the Northeast, which have historically weathered and prepared for much colder climate conditions. EO604 also recognizes climate change as an opportunity to create jobs and address environmental justice, which can be achieved through a coordinated response at the state level. Additionally, OCIR can connect climate mitigation and adaptation efforts; Massachusetts has ambitious goals for clean energy, net zero emissions, and sustainable infrastructure.
The mandate of the OCIR is to use the authority of the Governor’s office to support Massachusetts’ adaptation and mitigation goals through coordination, implementing legislative mandates, adopting guidelines, and staying on top of best practices for climate governance. The office creates a framework for climate policy development from its creation, to adoption, implementation, and monitoring. They are also responsible for tracking progress towards state climate goals, and to intervene as needed when goals are lagging behind. In addition to tracking and coordinating active efforts, OCIR will:
- Develop new climate legislation for proposal and climate plans or implementation plans necessary to meet climate-related mandates;
- Ensure that government offices incorporate climate sustainability into their operations; and
- Work with Cabinet Secretaries to appoint dedicated Secretariat Climate Officers for each agency to advance policies established by the OCIR.
The Climate Chief is specifically mandated to:
- Establish a network of partnerships at all levels of government to help identify and address community priorities related to climate change and resilience;
- Convene relevant state authorities to design, develop, and fund climate policies;
- Identify and apply for federal funds;
- Provide recommendations to the governor on budgeting and planning for effective deployment of funds to meet climate goals; and
- Create public information campaigns.
The Climate Chief was also directed to perform an initial review of the state of Massachusetts capacity and progress towards state climate goals, and from this review, present the Governor with a set of initial recommendations. The report, released October 25, 2023, provides 39 recommendations on funding, budgeting, environmental justice, emissions mitigation, public health, economic development, and education.
Publication Date: January 6, 2023
Related Organizations:
- State of Massachusetts
Resource Category:
Resource Types:
- Executive order
States Affected:
