Massachusetts Climate Plan: Transportation Emissions Stall Progress

Massachusetts is falling short of its climate goals, specifically those related to transportation, according to a recently published state climate report. The state’s roads and highways remain the largest source of pollutants contributing to climate change, hindering progress toward broader emissions reductions.

Falling Behind on Key Benchmarks

Under Massachusetts law, the state must reduce climate pollution to at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, with the ultimate aim of achieving “net zero” emissions by 2050. While progress has been made in the power and construction sectors – driven by efforts to shut down fossil fuel plants, improve energy efficiency and expand renewable energy – similar regulation has not been applied to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).

Did You Know? In 2025, Massachusetts drivers logged over 58 billion miles, a 9 percent increase since 2023.

This reluctance to regulate MassDOT has resulted in the agency’s plans consistently failing to align with the state’s official climate objectives. For example, MassDOT’s 2024 strategic plan, “Beyond Mobility,” reportedly avoided any commitment to comply with the state’s climate plan. Environmental filings related to the proposed Cape Cod bridge replacement also revealed that MassDOT does not intend to meet legally mandated pollution-reduction requirements.

Sluggish EV Adoption and Rising Vehicle Miles

The state’s climate plan focused on two key strategies for reducing transportation-related pollution: decreasing “vehicle miles travelled” by encouraging alternatives to driving, and increasing the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road to at least 200,000 by 2025. Neither of these goals has been met.

As of the end of 2025, only 166,296 electric vehicles were registered in Massachusetts, and a third of those were plug-in hybrid models that still rely on gasoline. Simultaneously, vehicle miles travelled continue to increase, contributing to both pollution and traffic congestion. Drivers burned 2.53 billion gallons of gasoline in 2025, releasing 22.5 million metric tons of climate-heating pollutants.

Expert Insight: The divergence between progress in regulated sectors and the transportation sector highlights the challenges of addressing climate change when key agencies are not held to the same standards. This suggests a systemic issue of prioritization and accountability within state government.

The Healey administration has attributed some of the setbacks to actions taken by the previous federal administration, citing rollbacks of EV tax credits and fuel economy standards. However, the state’s EV sales were already lagging expectations before the change in federal leadership. Governor Healey delayed implementing regulations aimed at increasing the availability of electric trucks in October 2024.

A Bright Spot: Public Transit

Despite the challenges in other areas, there was some positive news: MBTA ridership increased by 10 percent in 2025. The state believes improving public transportation is a more readily controllable solution than influencing the EV market. The current MBTA General Manager, Phil Eng, now also holds a leadership position at MassDOT, potentially offering an opportunity to integrate climate goals more effectively into transportation planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the state’s long-term emissions goal?

Massachusetts aims to achieve “net zero” emissions by 2050, with an interim goal of reducing climate pollution to at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

What sectors are currently meeting climate goals?

The electric power and building construction sectors have made considerable progress in reducing emissions through measures like shutting down fossil fuel plants, improving energy efficiency, and expanding renewable energy production.

What is the current status of electric vehicle adoption in Massachusetts?

As of the end of 2025, there were 166,296 electric vehicles registered in Massachusetts, but this falls short of the state’s goal of 200,000 EVs by 2025. A third of these registered vehicles are plug-in hybrids.

As MassDOT leadership changes, it remains to be seen whether the agency will prioritize compliance with the state’s climate goals and implement strategies to reduce transportation-related pollution. A possible next step could involve integrating climate considerations more fully into the agency’s long-range planning and project evaluations.