Climate Action Plan Analysis
Bronwyn's Council Preview |
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Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
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Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
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The Ames City Council meets on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The agenda includes the following (and much more). Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.
- 1. Discussion on Climate Action Plan Analysis Staff Report.
Finally, the long awaited staff report on our Climate Action Plan! This plan outlines "6 Big Moves" that aim to reduce emissions by 83% by 2030 (over 2018 levels) and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. This plan has a $2.3 billion price tag, $1.4 to reach to 2030 target, and another $897 million by 2050. These costs are not borne by the City alone, but rather by all parties, including the City, businesses, individuals, developers, etc. There are a total of 29 individual action steps suggested by the consultant, though it may not be feasible to accomplish them all, so we are being asked to prioritize them to create an action plan. Staff are recommending using 8 criteria for evaluating our options, ranging from cost to legal feasibility to impact on residents and inclusion goals. To summarize, following are the 6 Big Moves. Each is detailed in the staff report according to the 8 criteria mentioned. - The 6 Big Moves:
- Building retrofits
- Net-zero new construction
- Renewable Energy Generation
- Reducing Vehicle Emissions
- Increasing Active Transportation and Transit Use
- Reducing Waste Emissions
This report signifies the beginning of our serious work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is a sobering price tag, but the price of inaction as our global temperature continues to rise is unfathomable.
Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, At Large