Actions by Sector

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

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