Climate Change and Opportunities for Local Leadership

Bicycles outside Central Station in Copenhagen. (Photo: Flickr - phototram)

There are many things that local communities can do to fight climate change, both in municipal operations and throughout the community. In many cases, these actions save energy and money at the same time. From reducing energy use in buildings and improving waste management to enhancing public transportation and employing smart growth, cities have the power to create the necessary change to address climate change while creating more jobs and a better quality of life for citizens.

This site explores projects, programs and policies in:

• Green Jobs Programs and Crime Prevention
• Green Building Ordinances and Energy Efficiency Retrofits
• Mixed-use Ordinances, High-Density/ Infill Retrofits, and Urban Agriculture
• Public Transit Projects
• Waste Diversion and Zero-Waste Policies and Sustainable Sewage Practices
• Community Choice Aggregation with Renewables
• Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Progress Reports
• Water Management

If local governments are going to overcome some of the largest problems they are facing today, they must take a more holistic approach to policy. High unemployment, a halt in building and diminishing property values are leading to plummeting tax revenues. At the same time, local governments are facing climate change regulation as well as new laws around water usage. With new creative financing tools, cities will be surprised at the dissolving barriers to entry for technologies like solar panels and smart irrigation. With the right policy tools, local governments can stop the bleeding and encourage sustainable growth.