(BALTIMORE, MD) – The Baltimore City Department of Planning, Office of Sustainability, has launched its Climate Action Plan process for the City. A kick-off meeting was held on January 10th, where close to 50 citizens, advisory committee members, city department leaders, consultants, and other stakeholders rolled up their sleeves and got down to brass tacks to identify and articulate strategies for reducing Baltimore City’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the next 10 to 20 years.
Four working groups have been formed — Building Energy; Land Use & Transportation; Adaptation; and Waste, Water, and Green Infrastructure. All of the working groups have met and outlined a shortlist of existing and proposed strategies for inclusion in the Climate Action Plan that can reduce GHG emissions.
The CAP process will entail looking at trends in greenhouse gas emissions and create emissions forecast scenarios through the next 20 years; identify building energy, transportation, waste, water, and green infrastructure strategies to achieve short- and long-term reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; recommend strategies for adaptation to identify climate change impacts; and develop procedures for tracking implementation and effectiveness of recommendations. The CAP process also includes holding a public town hall meeting early this Summer to present a draft CAP plan to the citizens of Baltimore.
Baltimore City has hired AECOM, Design + Planning Division, an international U.S. firm, to develop its CAP. AECOM has prepared over 70 climate change adaptation plans for municipalities, utilities, and businesses throughout the U.S. and abroad.
.
from an emailoldId.20120305191548184