This page is organized by “sectors” often used in Climate Action Plans or GHG emissions inventories, with some additions describing community education and mobilization for local climate actions. Each sector is briefly described with a hyperlink to a more detailed description and listings of those actions associated with it.
Air Pollution Agencies
State level agencies are obligated to comply with the Federal Clean Air Act to regulate emissions to achieve region-wide reductions from stationary and mobile sources. Read more
Buildings
Building codes, energy efficiency standards, and local amendments (reach or stretch codes) can result in greater energy efficiency and reduced emissions from new and existing residential and commercial structures. Read more
Community Choice Aggregation
Community Choice Aggregation, also known as Community Choice Energy (abbreviated CCA and CCE by various parties), is a local, not-for-profit governmental program that buys and may generate electrical power on behalf of its residents, businesses, and governmental entities. Starting a CCA can benefit all members of a community and maximize production of clean, renewable energy. Read more
Community Education & Action
Educating people to make climate sensitive choices can contribute to reduced local emissions and help build a movement for similar regional, state, and national actions. Climate sensitive choices include food selections, buying locally produced food at farmers markets, energy conservation, promoting climate literacy, and creating community groups and neighborhood council programs. Read more
Energy
Benchmarking energy use, encouraging efficiency, supporting local renewable electricity generation and storage, restricting fossil fuel use, and curtailing oil and gas operations are all effective local actions that can reduce emissions. Read more
Equity
Engaging actively with under-resourced communities to develop and implement climate actions and investments can simultaneously address climate and environmental justice issues. Read more
Industry
Local land use regulations, zoning, and other laws that preserve public health and safety have proven effective in prohibiting or limiting industrial emissions or expansion of existing operations. Read more
Materials
Emissions can be reduced by making purchasing decisions which support product design, manufacturing processes, or transport of materials or products that require less energy or facilitate reuse and recycling. Read more
Natural & Working Lands
Local actions can reduce emissions from agriculture, promote farming practices that sequester carbon in the soil, promote organic farming, and reduce enteric and manure emissions. Read more
Parks & Cool Streets
Urban areas can reduce heat island impacts that result in increased energy use for air conditioning by implementing programs that increase surface reflectivity and maximize planted areas in parks and public spaces. Read more
Transportation & Land Use
Land use ordinances and transportation district actions can be effective in advancing transformative change. Example actions include reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled, prioritizing multimodal transportation, increasing EVs & chargers, electrifying vehicle fleets, building inclusionary housing, restricting parking, and other similar local provisions. Read more
Waste
City or County programs that encourage sustainable consumption, reduce waste generation, and maximize the amount of recovered/composted/recycled materials can reduce emissions and enhance overall community sustainability. Read more
Water
Reducing energy use for water distribution, irrigation, and water/wastewater treatment, and conserving water supplies through recycling, can be effective at reducing emissions and enhancing sustainability. Read more