Item A: Sustainability Commission Recommendations

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environmental impacts. Awareness of these other factors when designing GHG reduction strategies will help avoid unintended environmental consequences. The broader social and economic, as well as environmental, impacts of GHG reduction strategies need to be considered to develop a truly sustainable climate action plan. 9. Strategic Implications Determining achievable targets and effective strategies are the next steps in Eugene’s Climate Action Plan. The task of reducing emissions is made more difficult by the excellent emissions signature of our power. It is critical to maintain the benefit of clean power, which has kept total community emissions and per capita emission relatively low. Maintaining excellent methane recovery systems is essential to prevent increased GHG emissions. Growth in natural gas use is a key issue, in part due to its proportionate increase as an energy source. Conservation remains one of the most direct and cost-effective methods to reduce GHG. Transportation must be a major focus to accomplish a large-scale reduction in community-wide emissions levels. Strategies that address both sectors and sources must be employed. Broader environmental, economic and social impacts of strategies, in addition to GHG reduction, should be considered. 10. Recommended Next Steps to Develop a Community Climate Action Plan Sign on to the Cities for Climate Protection Resolution Define the roles for governing bodies and staff groups Set Targets Identify balance between mitigation measures and adaptation planning Identify strategies and reductions to implement Identify and commit financial resources to implement climate change action. 11. References for further information The Pew Center on Global Climate Change http://www.pewclimate.org/ Oregon Governor’s Initiative on Global Warming http://www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/GBLWRM/ ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=391 16