Nurture Nature Center is honored to work with the City of Easton on the significant and positive step of setting a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. NNC has worked with the City since 2017 to complete a greenhouse gas inventory to determine the amount of emissions from electricity, natural gas, and transportation. The inventory forms the baseline from which the target is based. This year, NNC has also worked with the City and several Lafayette classes to develop an emissions reduction target and complete a vulnerability assessment that looks at natural hazards of concern for Easton and how they will be affected by climate change. The inventory, assessment, and target are all required actions as part of the commitment to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCM). GCM is an international coalition of cities and municipalities who support climate change action to ensure resilient communities. Over 7,500 cities have committed to the GCM and pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Recently, NNC presented a resolution to City Council to adopt an emissions reduction target of 80% of baseline emissions by 2050 with an intermediate goal of 30% reduction by 2030. City Council approved this resolution on May 23rd, 2018. The next step is to develop a climate action plan to detail how the target will be achieved. Mitigation strategies such as increasing energy efficiency of buildings, purchasing and/or generating renewable energy, reducing car use, planting more trees, and sourcing products locally are a few of the possible actions to include. NNC looks forward to working with the City and other partners to achieve this ambitious and critically important goal.
News coverage of the emissions reduction target adoption is below.
Easton goes green with commitment to reduce emissions
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/easton/mc-nws-easton-greenhouse-gas-emissions-20180525-story.html
Posted May 25
Easton council commits to cutting greenhouse emissions: 7 things you can do
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf/2018/05/easton_council_commits_to_cutt.html
Posted May 25
Easton pledges to cut emissions
http://www.wfmz.com/news/lehigh-valley/easton-pledges-to-cut-emissions/745556790
Posted May 24