Cincinnati, OH Climate Protection Action Plan
Cincinnati,
OH,
US
Type: Policy
Status: Adopted
Source File: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cmgr/downloads/cmgr_pdf18279.pdf
Description:
Cincinnati’s Climate Protection Committee Develops Road Map to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The City of Cincinnati's Climate Protection Steering Committee took its first look Thursday evening at the City’s Climate Action Plan, a road map for how Cincinnati will reduce its contribution to global climate change. The meeting outlined the City’s green house gas (GHG) emissions inventory, the recommended GHG emission reduction goals, and the preliminary plans on how Cincinnati will achieve those goals. The Climate Protection Steering Committee includes 18 members of the community appointed by Mayor Mallory and charged by City Council with developing a Climate Action Plan for Cincinnati incorporating broad community input by April 2008.
The preliminary results of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory revealed that Cincinnati produced 8.9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2006, down slightly from the City’s emissions of 9 million tons in 2000. At 23.4 tons per person per year, Cincinnati is 6% more carbon efficient than the national average of 25 tons per person. Cincinnati’s GHG emissions come primarily from the following uses: commercial energy use (39%); transportation (25%); residential energy use (18%); industrial energy use (15%); and waste disposal (3%).
The Committee received a preliminary recommendation for Cincinnati to reduce its GHG emissions by 10% by 2012 (short term goal); 40% by 2027 (mid term goal); and 86% by 2050 (long term goal). To achieve the short-term goal, Cincinnati must reduce its GHG emissions by 619,000 tons per year by 2012. Most scientists believe that global emissions must be reduced at least 80% by 2050 to stabilize the planet’s climate at a tolerable level.
Steering Committee members also considered preliminary recommendations on how to achieve GHG emission reductions while saving money, enhancing the local economy, and promoting other local priorities. Recommendations were provided for five sectors including: energy, transportation, land use, waste management, and advocacy. Additional work is ongoing to quantify the emission reductions, financial costs and benefits, and non-financial costs and benefits of a wide range of proposed GHG reduction measures. The Steering Committee includes leaders representing business, government, environmental, community, civic and labor organizations. The final plan will include recommendations developed by five Task Teams, including more than 120 volunteer members, in the areas of land use, waste, energy, and transportation with the goal of changing citizen behavior for a more sustainable lifestyle in Cincinnati. Vice Mayor David Crowley chaired the Committee meeting.
The Steering Committee will hold a public hearing to receive input on the draft Climate Action Plan on February 21, 2008. For more information contact Larry Falkin, Director of the Office of Environmental Quality.
Download the 212-page Climate Protection Action Plan.