Net Zero Emissions

AMC’s Energy and Climate Policies were updated in 2021, building operational net zero and advocacy efforts on the framework of climate change.  These policies continue to guide AMC’s public positions and advocacy on energy and climate issues as the world transitions to a net zero carbon economy and help us find the appropriate balance between supporting the development of renewable energy and protecting the natural landscapes that are at the heart of our mission.

The policies’ “Guiding Principles” lay out AMC’s values. Our internal activities and climate and energy policy engagements will be based upon the following principles:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  
• Set net zero climate targets and develop roadmaps.
• Promote transparency in tracking and reporting.
• Support carbon offsets and carbon sequestration technologies.
• Avoid unnecessary impacts with best available practices and technology.  
• Mitigate for unavoidable resource impacts.
• Develop decommissioning plans.
• Conduct a transparent and robust stakeholder engagement process.

The net zero policy has two major components. First is a commitment to track and publicly report our emissions and our progress in reducing them. Second is a “Carbon Mitigation Hierarchy” that sets forth the strategic approach to reducing our organizational emissions.

The Carbon Mitigation Hierarchy has three levels:

1. Avoid and reduce emissions from transportation and buildings through energy efficiency and conservation.
   This ranges from low-cost or cost-saving endeavors that should be used as first-choice solutions to major capital investments in building systems and vehicles. This includes transitioning building heating and vehicles away from fossil fuels to electricity.
2. Eliminate emissions from electricity by investing in renewable sources of energy.
   Generating or purchasing renewable energy is necessary to avoid the emissions from fossil fuel-generated electricity.
3. Offset any remaining emissions.
   AMC will retire offsets from our verified forest carbon projects on our Maine Woods lands to balance emissions that cannot be reduced or eliminated. This is the last step, and the availability of our own offsets will not be used as a reason to avoid the necessary investments in real emissions reductions.