Northeast Communities: On the Front Lines of Climate Change Impacts and Responses

Changes brought on by global warming are already affecting the Northeast’s unique and diverse natural resources, threatening our economy and treasured way of life. Clean Air-Cool Planet encourages local governments throughout the region to join the Cities for Climate Protection campaign of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). We have a formal partnership with the U.S. office of ICLEI to support and enhance the efforts of municipalities in the region to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions while saving taxpayer money and delivering other benefits to their citizens.

CA-CP works in partnership with ICLEI toward the following goals:

• Supporting a thriving network of Northeast communities sharing best practices in support of the regional and state Climate Change Action Plans;
• Steady progress of CCP jurisdictions toward achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets;
• Forging alliances between local governments and other sectors (e.g. business, higher education, faith community) to increase the effectiveness of greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies;
• Increased public awareness of the threat of climate change and support for municipal, state, and the regional Climate Change Action Plans;
• Spotlighting successful climate protection programs and measures by municipalities and individuals.

The New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Regional Climate Change Action Plan will require the participation and support of municipalities to have a chance of achieving its goals:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020
• Reduce emissions to negate climate interference overall (75-85% reduction)

CA-CP's Amelia Ravin was in Argentina for the recent CoP10 talks after spending several days in Buenos Aires getting a first-hand glimpse of inspiring climate preservation efforts taking place in communities there.  Read more about what she saw and learned...

Learn About Green Roofs
A one-day intensive training on "green roofing" will be held in Boston on January 28th. Whether you're an architect, horticulturalist, city planner, policy-maker or just plain interested, attend the course to learn more.

Keene, NH, launches the 10% Challenge
CA-CP participated in the October launch event, at which Keene (a CA-CP partner) became the first Northeast community to follow up on the City of Burlington, Vermont’s 10% Challenge successful educational campaign challenging citizens to reduce their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more…

Join the Challenge!
The 10% Challenge is a voluntary program, begun in Burlington, Vermont, to raise public awareness about global climate change and to encourage households and businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10 percent. Wherever you may live, households and businesses are invited to sign-up, accept the challenge, and begin taking actions today!

Municipal Elected Officials Speak Out on Climate Change and Effective Climate Action

• Mayors Murray (Worcester, MA) and Cohen (Newton, MA) Op-Ed, Boston Globe
• Mayors' Statement on Global Warming signed by 155 around the country
• Boston Mayor Menino's Op-Ed on Green Building

Case Studies

Read more about the exciting initiatives of local, state, and federal governments to combat climate change:

• City of Burlington, Vermont: On Champlain with a Plan (PDF, 150 KB)
• The State of Vermont: Harvesting Methane to Protect the Planet (PDF, 149 KB)
• New York Power Authority: Capitalizing on Waste from Waste Treatment (PDF, 144 KB)
• Naval Air Station Brunswick: Deploying Energy Restructuring at the Local Level (PDF, 145 KB)
• Monmouth Battlefield State Park: Renewable Energy from the Ground Up (PDF, 143 KB)

GO Boulder, an innovative public transit program in this popular Colorado city, strives to develop a sustainable and balanced transportation system supporting the quality of life valued by Boulder's residents, employees, and visitors. Hop different buses for quick rides downtown, to work or campus, or to your favorite restaurant or bar.