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Counties warm up to climate action, get prepared
(This is the second in a series of four reports on counties and green government.)
Witnessing a surge in climate protection activity among its members, NACo launched its Climate Protection Program last year to support counties as they work to develop emissions reduction targets and implement mitigation and adaptation plans.
Whether counties are motivated byglobal warming, air quality, national security, sustainability or financial savings, they are taking action to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Environmental risks and potential costs for inaction, meeting shrinking budgets and saving taxpayer dollars, moving the country toward energy independence — pick the goal you’d like, but the bottom line is counties are more aware today of emissions than ever before.
Climate change may be a global problem, but it’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution for local governments. The first step as a participant in NACo’s Climate Protection Program is to select a meaningful emissions reduction target, which many have recently done.
In total, at least 50 counties have passed a resolution on climate change — not all of them alike.
Some counties have opted to sign the Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration, launched last summer by a coalition of counties including King County, Wash. and Fairfax County, Va., along with the Sierra Club. The goal is an 80 percent reduction in emissions by 2050.
Others, like Sarasota County, Fla. have made commitments to carbon-neutral buildings by 2030, while others have established their own targets such as Whatcom County, Wash.
The goals for Whatcom County, established last year, include a community emissions reduction target of 10 percent below 2001 levels by 2020. The county’s own goal is 25 percent below 2000 levels by 2012.
Incremental approaches are common in county emissions reduction targets. These short-term, mid-term and long-term ranges make what could otherwise be a daunting and overwhelming problem a more achievable, realistic and flexible solution.
In December, Montgomery County, Pa. became the first county in Pennsylvania to adopt a greenhouse gas emissions plan. The plan calls for a reduction in emissions below 2004 levels of 4 percent by 2012, 15 percent by 2017 and 32 percent by 2025.
A resolution passed in Teton County, Wyo. asks residents to educate themselves about global warming and take action. And, in San Juan County, Wash., their resolution details 26 ways the county will help reduce emissions, including providing more trails and bikeways and buying goods locally. The resolution also outlines 10 actions residents and businesses can take.
Chester County, Pa.formed a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Task Force comprising 64 members. Residents were invited to apply to serve, and all were accepted by the county. The task force will recommend actions the county can take as well as those actions that residents and municipalities may be encouraged to take.
Other counties that have launched sustainability or climate task forces recently include: Miami-Dade County, Fla.; Howard County, Md.; Queen Anne’s County, Md.; Henderson County, N.C.; Ulster County, N.Y.; Westchester County, N.Y.; and Montgomery County, Pa.
With the development of local climate action plans comes an opportunity for counties to think beyond mitigation techniques and start to plan for future social, environmental, and economic impacts — otherwise known as adaptation planning.
Unsure how your county may need to cope in the future? Melting icecaps are just the tip of the iceberg. Shifts in local food supplies, effects on tourism, an increasing number of droughts, a greater risk of forest fires, shifting crop patterns, a reduction in our snowpack, an increase in sea levels, more flooding and extreme temperature fluctuations are among other named consequences.
A Survey of Climate Change Adaptation Planning was recently produced from The H. John Heinz III Center For Science, Economics and the Environment. The survey can help counties navigate their way through 18 existing resources to help in adaptation planning. One particular such resource is Preparing for Climate Change: A Guidebook for Local, Regional and State Governments,created through a partnership between ICLEI, Climate Impacts Group and King County, Wash.
The guidebookprovides a framework communities can use to prepare for and adapt to regional climate changes.
NACo’s County Climate Protection Program FAQs
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Q:What is NACo’s policy on climate change?
At the NACo Legislative Conference in March 2007, the NACo Board of Directors approved a resolution that became part of NACo’s Environment, Energy and Land Use Platform. The resolution calls upon Congress to aggressively pursue national and international programs to develop carbon-neutral energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Federal funding of sensible and cost-effective technologies to reduce greenhouse gases should be continued. NACo urges Congress to address global warming, regardless of its source.
NACo supports immediate and long-range efforts by the federal government to involve all levels of stakeholders to mitigate possible sources of climate change now, through a series of practical incentives and through more federal funding for all means of emissions reduction.
Q:How is NACo helping counties meet their climate change goals?
In July, NACo launched its County Climate Protection Program to support counties as they work to have a positive impact in their communities reducing emissions, benefiting the environment and public health, and saving taxpayer dollars.
This new program will provide counties with best practices, tools and resources to assist them in developing and implementing successful climate change programs at home. NACo is currently working to develop a searchable clearinghouse of county policies and programs on climate change. As counties work to develop their climate action plans, they will submit completed pieces to the searchable database. In addition, NACo has launched an online discussion forum on climate change at: www.naco.org/climatediscussion.
Q:How does a county become involved in NACo’s County Climate Protection Program?
The first step for a county to participate in NACo’s program is to adopt a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a numerical target. Because one size does not fit all, NACo offers counties a pledge template allowing them to select from existing national campaigns with quantifiable targets to reduce global warming (see list below), or to establish their own appropriate goal. Counties may download the draft resolution template at www.naco.org/climateprotection.
Q:Can a county participate in both NACo’s County Climate Protection Program and another national campaign such as Cool Counties or Climate Communities?
Yes. NACo’s program is a source of information and assistance for all counties, regardless of the numerical target they select. Whether a county chooses its own target, or signs onto a national initiative (such as the ones mentioned below), the county will have access to the best practices, tools and resources from NACo to help them develop and implement their climate action plan.
Q:What is Cool Counties?
In July 2007, a coalition of counties launched the U.S. Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration (also known as Cool Counties).
Participating counties pledge to reduce global warming emissions 80 percent below current levels by 2050 (an average annual reduction of 2 percent). The Declaration also urges the federal government to adopt legislation requiring an 80 percent emissions reduction by 2050 and calls for fuel economy standards to be raised to 35 miles per gallon within a decade.The declaration is available online at: www.kingcounty.gov/exec/coolcounties.aspx.
Q:What is Climate Communities?
Climate Communities is a national coalition of cities and counties advocating for climate change policies, resources, and funding from the federal government to help local governments meet the climate change challenge.
The coalition adopted a Federal Action Agenda with four goals: cap-and-trade credits for local actions; increased federal funding for local efforts to combat climate change (such as the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants); SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization with investments at the local level; and the expansion of federal programs that support research, demonstration and deployment activities at the local level. The action agenda is available online at: www.climatecommunities.us.
Climate Communities is managed by The Ferguson Group. For more information on the membership fee contact Andrew Seth at 202/454-3922 or aseth@tfgnet.com.
Q:What other national campaigns are counties joining?
American Institute of Architects’ 2030 Challenge, www.aia.org/adv_sustainability. Sets a series of numerical targets and timeframes to eventually achieve carbon-neutral (using no fossil fuel greenhouse gas emitting energy) to operate buildings by 2030.
Chicago Climate Exchange, www.chicagoclimatex.com. Members make a voluntary but legally binding commitment to meet annual greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Climate Communities, www.climatecommunities.com. A coalition of cities and counties advocating for federal action to help local communities combat climate change.
Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Initiative, www.kingcounty.gov/exec/coolcounties.aspx.The declaration consists of three key elements, including a call to reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below current levels by 2050.
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement(consolidated city-county governments only), www.cityofseattle.net/mayor/climate.Calls for a 7 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2012.
25x25, www.25x25.org.Goal to have 25 percent percent of energy from renewable resources like wind, solar and biofuels by the year 2025.
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