The city of Burlington adopted its first Climate Action Plan 13 years ago. Since that time, the city has set goals, as outlined on the city's website, to reduce its carbon emissions to a 20 percent reduction of 2007 levels by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050.
To achieve its 2020 goal, the City would have to reduce the emissions generated by its municipal operations by 4,657 tons of CO2 equivalent, while the community-wide emissions reduction would have to approach 86,485 tons of CO2 equivalent. These are not insignificant numbers, but if the City and community come together in working towards those same goals, we can surely achieve them. Exploration of new technologies, new financial incentives and/or financing schemes, as well as a general willingness and commitment to the implementation of this plan will bring success.
To attain those goals, in 2008 and 2009, more than 100 community volunteers and city staff participated in working groups to consider eight themes:
Transportation - Community-wide & Governmental Local Gardens, Farms and Food Production Energy Efficiency in Buildings Renewable Energy Resources Urban Forestry & Carbon Sequestration Waste Reduction and Recycling Policy, Research and Education The work groups researched and brainstormed action items to reduce the City’s climate footprint. This work resulted in over 200 community-generated recommendations. These ideas were shared and vetted with the public at the December 2008 Legacy Town Meeting.
Following the Legacy Town Meeting, Burlington hired the consulting firm Spring Hill Solutions to prioritize and estimate the cost of the mitigation recommendations, and the city planning commission has incorporated that work into an updated Climate Action Plan.
Burlington's 2013 Climate Action Plan, now in draft form, had its second public hearing before the City Council on Monday. The council did not sign the resolution to adopt the plan, but instead referred the plan back to the planning commission and will revisit the issue on its first meeting in September.
