The Gateway Cities Climate Action Planning (CAP) Framework is an integrated set of tools, templates, and guidance for local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their communities, while advancing their goals for economic development, public health, equity, and climate resilience.
This Toolkit provides a great opportunity to small disadvantaged communities like mine. I believe my city and the other Gateway Cities jurisdictions will continue to utilize the tools contained in the Climate Action Planning Framework to help support our planning priorities and to better connect with our community.
The CAP Framework helps under-resourced cities develop plans that connect the dots between climate protection and local benefits to public health and the environment, economic development, and community resilience. With the framework in place, more member cities are now actively taking tangible steps to develop a local CAP. At the same time, the Gateway Cities Council of Governments and member cities are experiencing increased success securing climate-related grant funding.
ESA led the consulting team that developed a regional CAP Framework so that member cities can efficiently prepare local Climate Action Plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing their communities for climate change hazards. It’s designed to help individual communities advance their goals for economic development, public health, air quality, climate resiliency, equity, and job creation while reducing emissions and planning for the impacts of climate change.
The work involved preparing updated GHG inventories for each city, as well as developing a suite of tools and templates for setting GHG targets, selecting and prioritizing GHG reduction and adaptation measures, assembling a CAP document, and tracking implementation.
Jeff Caton, PE, LEED AP
Despite increasing awareness and the “eco-friendly” steps corporations have been taking in recent years, climate modeling projects indicate that maintaining current levels of GHG emissions will increase global mean temperatures from between 3.7°C to 4.8°C by the end of the century.
Across the spectrum of climate hazards the impacts of climate change will fall hardest on those who are historically over-burdened and most susceptible, including the elderly, infants and children; people and communities of color; and people living in poverty.
