Download to the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative Strategy

Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative Strategy
Reducing the Region’s Carbon Footprint, Educating our Youth
& Advocating for Green Public Policies
Introduction
Climate change refers to any significant change in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among
other effects, that occur over several decades or longer. In its 2014 Synthesis Report for Policymakers, the
International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that:
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Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse
gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and
natural systems. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the
observed changes have been linked to human influences
GOALS OF THE
Changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The
PARIS
CLIMATE ACCORD
atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and
ice have diminished, and sea level has risen
Mitigation
Taking the findings of the IPCC seriously, the leaders of 195
nations gathered in Paris at the end of 2015 and committed to
lowering greenhouse gas emissions to limit the impacts of climate
change.
The establishment of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative
was inspired by the actions taken at the Paris Climate Conference.
If 195 nations can commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
then Cape Cod can as well! The Collaborative is an opportunity
to embrace the goals of the Paris Accord in our daily lives, here
in the special and fragile environment we call home.
Organizations right here, comprised of our friends and neighbors,
our communities, and our businesses, strive to make a difference in
their world - and ours.
 Reduce emissions to keep the
increase in global warming to well
below 2°C above pre-industrial
levels
Adaptation
 Strengthen societies’ ability to
deal with climate change impacts
Transparency
 Report and track progress on
nations’ targets of reducing
carbon emissions
 Meet every 5 years to set more
ambitious targets
The Collaborative is a Cape-wide campaign to unite the varied expertise and experience of Cape Cod
organizations to address the impacts of climate change. Here on the Cape we have an acute understanding
of the threats of sea level rise and impacts on fisheries resulting from climate change. Its goal is to spur
local and regional actions to mitigate these impacts. The Collaborative also aims to be a strong regional
voice and a model for the rest of the state in stimulating a comprehensive approach to climate change by
promoting local and regional strategies for climate change planning, mitigation and adaptation. By linking
available knowledge, talent and tools of people, organizations and businesses on Cape Cod we can address
the impacts of climate change. Through voluntary agreements and development of a communications
network, there is the opportunity to integrate actions and interests of existing entities to help reduce
greenhouse gas emissions (i.e. carbon footprint) that contribute to climate change.
The purpose of this Strategy is to provide a framework for this regional campaign of education,
advocacy, and the reduction of Cape Cod’s carbon footprint.
Goals
1. REDUCTION
R1. Develop a set of Cape-wide targets for reducing dependence on fossil fuels
This goal focuses on developing a common set of carbon-reducing targets that will be used to calculate
the overall reduction in carbon emissions for Cape Cod. As reductions are made by individual
organizations, businesses and towns, those numbers would be compared to these targets/targets to
gauge regional progress.
For example, in 2008 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts enacted legislation that requires reductions
from all sectors of the economy to reach a target of a 25% reduction in its carbon footprint by 2020 and an
80% reduction by 2050. According to the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020,
emissions from electricity production fell by 12.4% between 1990 and 2012.1
Cape-wide targets will allow the region to track its specific progress towards meeting its own, as well as
the state goals.
Near-Term Actions
 Work with the Cape Light Compact (CLC) on assembling town-by-town and regional data on energy
use by commercial, residential and industrial sectors to quantify emissions generated on Cape Cod
 Work with the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) and the Cape Cod Commission (CCC)
to:
o Identify and acquire regional transportation data that provides: number of registered
vehicles/average miles driven/average mpg and translate to CO2 emissions
o Identify estimates of visiting vehicles (not registered here) and miles driven and average mpg for
additional “soft” estimate
o Develop separate electric and transportation carbon reduction targets, post on website and
release to public through media outlets and regional organizations
 Work with the CLC, the Cape Cod Commission and others to identify improvements needed in
housing stock/ buildings and evaluate changes needed in regional and local policies to promote
more efficient buildings (new construction and retrofits)
Long-Term Actions
 Update the targets every four years
R2. Assist local organizations in identifying and developing achievable actions for
reducing their carbon footprints
The Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative will work to develop links among organizations, businesses
and the public sector to share information on how to set their carbon targets and assess how to go about
achieving these reductions. Energy services are available from Cape Light Compact for residential and
commercial buildings, both existing and new construction and for municipal facilities. Learning from
others is an important aspect of this goal. Many homeowners, businesses and municipalities have taken
significant actions to reduce their carbon footprint; some are relatively simple such as switching from
1
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/eea/energy/cecp-for-2020.pdf
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incandescent light bulbs to LED lights. The Collaborative will be another source of information and
connections to evaluate and take steps to reduce individuals’, and ultimately Cape Cod’s carbon footprint.
Near-Term Actions
 Encourage members to share Compact social media postings on climate change, free energy audits,
rebates, incentives, events to educate the public on energy efficiency
Long Term Actions
 Develop and maintain a comprehensive website where Collaborative members can share resources
and lessons learned
R3. Monitor and publicize progress toward reaching reduction targets
As participants pledge to reduce their carbon footprint and take steps to implement their targets the
Collaborative will develop a tracking system to publicly share this progress. In addition, every two
years the Collaborative will convene a regional meeting to review progress, share lessons learned and
discuss challenges and opportunities to continue to reduce Cape Cod’s carbon footprint.
Near-Term Actions
 Use the Compact’s monitoring of energy efficiency measures and savings in each town as the electric
part of measuring progress
 Use CVEC’s tracking of renewable energy production in the region to measure progress
 Use private production of renewable energy—through data base or “soft” self-reporting to add to
progress data
Long-Term Actions
 Develop a web-based regional Carbon Footprint calculator that shows targets and regional progress
in reducing carbon emissions
2. EDUCATION
E1. Educate youth about the causes of climate change and generate youth participation
in carbon reduction activities
Raising awareness among our youth and stimulating them to action is a critical investment in the region’s
future. The Collaborative can play a significant role in stimulating young people to take action on climate
change issues by working with other education efforts and initiating new ones. Similar to the 1970s-80s
campaign to get households to recycle, the youth of today can be a potent force in educating their peers
and their parents on these issues. Students age 8-18 need access to the basic concepts of climate science as
it relates to climate change, and to be prepared and encouraged to engage in activities designed to reduce
individual and community level reliance on fossil fuels. Encouraging local organizations (municipalities,
schools, religious settings, businesses, nonprofits, etc.) to involve local youth in their strategies for reducing
their carbon footprints is one significant way of creating an inter-generational effort to reduce the Cape’s
carbon footprint.
Near-Term Actions
 Encourage and support local schools and after school programs to teach basic climate science
concepts.
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Organize after school activities designed to foster advocacy and planned change skills to youth.
Link youth to ongoing community-level carbon footprint reduction efforts.
Invite local organizations to involve youth in the planning and implementation of their carbon
reduction strategies.
Long-Term Actions
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Develop a Cape-wide network of youth actively involved with issues related to climate change
Develop and deliver a set of teacher workshops designed to assist school-based teachers and out-ofschool adult mentors in creating climate change related learning experiences for youth.
3. ADVOCACY
A1. Advocate for policies that will further efforts to improve energy efficiency and
reduce carbon emissions.
The purpose of this goal is to help educate the Collaborative network on policy matters and to support
positive policy development. Future decisions on modernizing the electrical grid, for example, will
determine how much energy efficiency we can capture and how much renewable energy we can develop
over what period of time in the region. Many voices from every sector of the economy will be vital to
influencing actions taken at the state level in determining whether, and at what level, to continue to provide
renewal energy credits for developers and business owners.
Near-Term Actions
 Engage in the SmartGrid / Grid Modernization discussion that is being mounted by the Cape Cod
Technology Collaborative and the Cape Light Compact.
 Advocate that towns in the region adopt the Stretch Code, or better standards for new buildings and
retrofits
 Promote a process to encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at public sites
 Work with the CCRTA to evaluate the potential for and barriers to increasing public transportation
Long-Term Actions
 Support development of micro-grids
 Support installation of electric vehicle charging stations—both public and private
 Support increased public transportation
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