Boulder Climate Commitment

Climate Change in Boulder - video by City of Boulder Youth Opportunities Advisory Board

 

 

 

 

Rising to the climate challenge, powering a vibrant future

The burning of coal, oil and gas for energy is warming Earth’s atmosphere and changing our climate. As  a re sult, we’ve seen more frequent and intense temperature extremes and destructive  weather events. For our community, climate action is about resilience and transformation: we need to adapt to the climate changes that are already in motion, as well as reduce the emissions-heavy activities that drive future climate change. We face a great challenge but also a great opportunity to make Boulder better-- to  create a healthier,   safer and more prosperous community. We need your help to make it happen.

What’s the plan?

As we take the next steps in our Climate Commitment , we are focusing on three key areas of action. If adopted by City Council, our community will commit to:

1.  Energy:

   Using energy more wisely and transitioning to clean, renewable and local power to fuel our lives—our households, businesses, and transportation, as well as our digital world;

2.  Resources:

   Using other natural resources, such as food and water, more wisely and reducing our waste; and 

3.  Ecosystems:

   Restoring the health of the urban, farming and natural ecosystems that help sustain our community and play a key role in climate stability. This is likely to include harnessing new technologies that allow for carbon sequestration and other innovative approaches.

Rising to the climate challenge will require long-term action in all three areas; however, the city’s short-term strategy has focused on the first—energy—as the chief driver of climate change. To reduce harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy use, we will:  improve building efficiency and performance; expand clean transportation options; and develop renewable, local energy sources created in or closer to Boulder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that’s local power

Moving away from burning fossil fuels and toward clean, renewable and local energy is a big deal. It's a Boulder Energy Future. A total transition will require us to minimize not just coal, but also reduce petroleum and natural gas use. That's a big challenge. But with our community spending more than $300 million each year on fuel, we stand to save a lot of money in the end. Plus, spending those dollars locally on renewable energy technology will create jobs and other benefits, not the least of which is clean air for our children and future generations. Now that's local power.

What does success look like?

By focusing on concrete actions, we can measure our climate progress in ways that are meaningful to our daily lives. No one (including us) quite knows what an “emission” looks like. But we know what new solar panels look like. We understand what a less drafty building feels like. We can see cost savings on our monthly energy bills. And we notice when more people use public transportation and ride their bikes, resulting in less traffic and improved health.

How do I plug in?

In speaking about climate action, we use words like “we” and “our” and “us.” That’s on purpose. While the city takes ownership for creating a valuable and realistic climate plan, we believe in the power of shared understanding – and action. You are a stakeholder in our community’s future, and we welcome your input in the community discussions taking place now. These will contribute to a public working session in April to clearly define what steps the city must take and what actions we, as a community and as individuals, can take. Lend your voice to this important discussion by contacting the city or Boulder's Climate Culture Collaborative (C3 Boulder) directly, and by hosting or attending an informal discussion for your friends, neighborhoods or interest-based community. 

Contact us

Contact Senior Environmental Planner Brett KenCairn at 303-441-3272.

Staff
David Driskell Executive Director, Planning, Housing & Sustainability	Brett KenCairn Senior Environmental Planner	Kendra Tupper Energy Services Manager	Jonathan Koehn Regional Sustainability Coordinator	Chris Hagelin Senior Transportation Planner

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