Gregg W. ThomasDenver Department of Environmental Health

Colorado Bar Association - Environmental Law SectionNovember 15, 2011

Climate hange

612

Addressing Climate Change at the Local Level: 

Why Denver (and other Municipalities) are Leading the Way to Mitigate and Adapt to a Changing Future

Overview

•A bit about the science

•Denver GHG Inventory and Climate Action Plan

•Denver Energy Challenge

•Are we making progress?

•Strategies available to achieve goals

•Voluntary vs regulatory strategies

Global Temperature Trends

Source: Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature Studyhttp://berkeleyearth.org/analysis.php

Winter 2010 Vs. Long-Term Baseline

Global Temperatures 1880-2010

5-year mean anomalies relative to 1951-1980 mean

Western US Temperature Trends

Source: Rocky Mtn Climate Organization and NRDC: “Hotter and Drier: The West’s Changing Climate” http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/west/contents.asp

www.greenprintdenver.org

Seeing is Believing…or Why I Care

2009Bengston Photo

USGS

Source: USGS Repeat Photography Projecthttp://nrmsc.usgs.gov/repeatphoto/

Future Projections CO2 and Temps

Source: Frank Princiotta, US EPAPresentation at EPA/AWMA Information Exchange, Dec 2007

3oC

3oC2oC

1oC

Predicted Temp Change

CO2 Trends Mauna Loa, Hawaii

Source: NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studieshttp://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2007/2007_Rahmstorf_etal.pdf

Monthly carbon dioxide concentration (blue thin line) and its long term trend (strong blue line) as measured at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Dashed line is IPCC's projected carbon dioxide levels.

U.S. R&D Budgets

2005 Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Denver

Per Capita emissions = 23.6 mtCO2e / person

Source: “Greenhouse Gas Inventory for the City and County of Denver” at http://www.greenprintdenver.org/docs/Denver_GHG_Inventory_Report.pdf

Cars7%

City Govt Bldgs3%

Trucks and SUVs12%

Transit 1%

Commercial Trucks

4%

Food10%Cement

2%

Air Travel6%

Fuel Processing7%

Commercial / Industrial Bldgs

34%

Residential Bldgs14%

Leadership is Required

•Developed and developing countries must come together on this issue

•In the U.S., federal government support is needed (policies, research/R&D)

•State and local governments have taken the lead on GHG mitigation strategies (in U.S.)

•Multi-national corporations are seriously addressing GHG emissions

•Overlooked is the power of the individual to reduce GHG emissions

City-Scale Climate Actions are Crucial

• US Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement–Over 1000+ signatories in 2009

• Cities becoming increasingly important for sustainability policy and climate reduction strategies–80% of population in urban areas–Local actions greatly influence land use and transportation policies

–State and federal support needed

Denver Climate Action Plan

•Developed to achieve goal of 10% per capita reduction in GHG emissions by 2012

– 2020 goal: At or below 1990 levels (~25% reduction)

•Diverse combination of strategies

•City government actions alone will barely make a dent

•Need for partnerships in order to implement – Businesses, associations, lending institutions

– Residents

– Non-profits

Neighborhood Energy Action Partnership (NEAP)

•Started meeting in 2008 to address residential mitigation strategies

•Local agencies (enviro + econ dev), Governor’s Energy Office, non-profits (Groundwork Denver, Mile High Youth Corps, Sun Power)

•Non-profits funded by local and state

•29 lower income neighborhoods targeted for energy blitzes over 5 years

•Started prior to federal stimulus (ARRA)

The Faces of NEAP

Neighborhood Energy Action Partnership (NEAP)

•2009 ARRA changed things drastically

•NEAP neighborhood targets could be met

•Even though addt’l money to weatherize, challenge is increasing participation rates

– Voluntary programs ~1% participation

•What options are most effective?

Successes and Challenges

•2009 was a success but it was a learning year

•Good partnerships started

•Don’t underestimate political dynamics

•Secured additional $5M+ in competitive grants

•City buildings made more efficient ($$)

•Time to rebrand and relaunch

•Denver Energy Challenge

•Small business and residential programs

Denver Energy Challenge

•Brought together commercial and residential programs under one brand

•Bottom line: sweeten incentives to both sectors to improve energy efficiency

•Free, no-cost energy advisor at your service

•Start with low hanging fruit

•There are bushels full of it

•Lighting a great example – phase outs

•Improve the bottom line

Visit DenverEnergy.org

Recognition of Businesses

• ~500 participants to date• 170+ projects completed• 200+ more in progress• Over 4.5 million kWh saved

Are We Making Progress?

Next Steps

•On the book controls have us on the right path – CACJA and 30% RPS

•Probably won’t get us all the way there

•Fewer but better mitigation strategies

•Need to address existing building stock

•Especially true beyond 2020

•Takes time to see penetration

•Build business model in advance of grant funds expiring (2013)

Summary

•Weather and climate are not the same

•Climate Action Plan has put Denver on purposeful path to sustainability (or vice versa) and GHG reductions

•Mitigation and (not versus) adaptation strategies are required

•Denver developing Climate Resiliency Plan in 2012

•Individual actions make a difference – NOW

•Small businesses need help and produce great returns

Our Hellish Future…

Potential Drought Severity Index

Based on 22 climate models and current emissions projections

http://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decades

Our Stakeholders Depend on Us

Contact Us

•gregg.thomas@denvergov.org

•www.DenverEnergy.org

•www.greenprintdenver.org