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Local Government Climate Planning

Since 2008, StopWaste has assisted local governments in Alameda County with their climate action planning.

For more information about StopWaste's work on local government climate planning efforts, download this brief report.  

Visit StopWaste.org/Climate for more on the materials-climate nexus.

Consumption-Based Emissions

Most recently, StopWaste has assisted local governments to understand and incorporate a "consumption-based emissions inventory" into their climate action planning. A consumption-based emissions inventory (CBEI) attributes all global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the end user, typically households. This better reflects the full range of impacts and GHG reduction opportunities for residents within a community.

StopWaste created a brief explanation, template narrative and sample measures:

Additional resources to explore:

Embodied Carbon in Buildings

Within the built environment, significant emissions occur globally to product the materials that are used in construction. StopWaste works with networks such as the Embodied Carbon Network to advance policy options for local governments that decide to address embodied carbon. 

Healthy Soils and Climate Change Mitigation

Healthy soils have come to the forefront in the last few years as a means to address climate mitigation and adaptation. The Climate Change Adaptation Measures report from StopWaste proposes nearly 50 measures addressing how soils, compost, and mulch can be incorporated into climate adaptation plans.

Climate Action Planning History

Below is a brief timeline of StopWaste's work on climate action planning since 2008.

  Climate Action Planning Milestones: 2008-2018

2017-present

Assisting member agencies with developing post-2020 Climate Action Plans (CAPs) by convening discussion on best practices, lessons learned and emerging ideas.

2016-2017

Assisted eight member agencies with developing climate change adaptation (preparing for climate change impacts) chapters to include in future CAPs, general plans or local hazard mitigation plans (LHMPs).

2015-2016

Introduced Consumption Based Emissions Inventories to member agencies. Developed a template for including a UC Berkeley study commissioned by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) into member agency greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and CAPs.

2014

Provided member agencies with training on ICLEI ClearPath, a software platform for completing GHG inventories, forecasts and CAPs.

2012

Conducted GHG emissions inventories for the year 2010, with funding from PG&E.

2010

Supported Build It Green in developing the GreenPoint Rated Climate Calculator to estimate the GHG impacts of green buildings, with funding from California Air Resources Board.

2008

Through the Alameda County Climate Action Protection Project, assisted member agencies with baseline GHG emissions inventories and CAP templates, with funding from BAAQMD.

 

 

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