Resilience and Climate Action Go Hand-in-Hand

written by Diane Ernst

“Climate change is more than parts per million and greenhouse gases. The people who are feeling the worst impacts of climate [change], their voices have got to be heard.”

— Robert D. Bullard

The word ‘resilient’ has been used more and more these days, especially throughout the pandemic. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines resilience as being: “able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions” or “capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture.” Planning for community resilience is critical in the fight against climate change; however, many communities lack the knowledge and understanding of how to tie resiliency into their climate action planning.

Climate change is an urgent challenge that requires us to develop capacity for resilience and innovation. In Colorado, we recently suffered record wildfires that impacted infrastructure and local watersheds. The past five years have been the hottest on record in places all over the United States. Many states have also experienced extreme flooding that has killed people and destroyed homes, businesses, and public infrastructure. Various climate researchers state that we should expect more of this in the future. Understanding and planning for these potential hazards or stressors are critical in making communities more resilient and should be integrated into climate action planning.

Figure 1: Common Weather and Climate-Related Hazards

Today, combating the impacts of climate change is more than just reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Now is the time for communities to look at climate action more holistically. When developing climate action strategies for your community, it is integral to zoom out and look at the whole community to understand local impacts climate change can have on specific areas and people. Studies show that climate change disproportionately affects low-income communities and people of color.

For example:

Studies have shown that urban heat islands impact low-income communities and people of color at higher rates.

• Climate crisis will triple flooding threats for low-income US homes by 2050.

• Study’s show disproportionate impacts of wildfire among elderly and low-income communities.

• COVID-19 hit black communities the hardest.

Figure 2: Factors that can increase climate vulnerability

What Can We Do About It?

Assessing vulnerabilities throughout the climate action planning process ensures that projects and related activities will reduce climate change impacts in communities. It is necessary to conduct vulnerability and risk assessments to understand which people and areas are most at risk and why. This process will create equitable plans and enable the development of policies that ensure the communities most burdened by the impacts of climate change have their voices heard and will be served first. This process integrates people within the process, allowing community members to see the direct effects of climate change and what they can do about it. Many resources are out there to assist communities in assessing risk and vulnerability to become more resilient against climate change. Below are excellent resources to get you started.

Colorado Resiliency Office

This new website has various story maps and toolkits to help walk you through pre-and post-recovery efforts. It also has case studies and a peer exchange platform to engage with other communities in Colorado doing similar work. Check it out by clicking here.

Climate Change Vulnerability and Risk Guide

This comprehensive guide focuses on the processes needed to develop vulnerability assessments at the community-level with the ultimate goal of promoting actions that increase resilience and adaptive capacity. Four phases will be presented to guide the process: (1) Preparing for the Vulnerability and Risk Assessment and Action Plan; (2) The Vulnerability and Risk Assessment; (3) The Action Plan; and (4) Planning and designing the implementation. Read the full document by clicking here.

Examples of Vulnerability Assessments

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Addressing Inequities in the Workplace

written by Diane Ernst

Meeting our energy needs sustainably is an all-hands-on-deck, technical challenge, yet only 26 percent of ‘green’ jobs in the U.S. are held by women, and less than 20 percent are held by people of color [1]. While Colorado is making progress, the clean energy industry still has a lot of work to do to truly be diverse.  Women and people of color represent a largely underutilized talent pool that could bolster innovation in clean energy.

According to the Clean Energy Ministerial, [2] a high-level global forum to promote policies and programs that advance clean energy technology, the energy industry remains one of the most gender imbalanced sectors, with women making up just 20 percent of the workforce. Green 2.0 reports that people of color represent 36 percent of the U.S. population and comprise 29 percent of the science and engineering workforce, but they do not exceed 16 percent of staff in any of the surveyed organizations. Green 2.0 calls this the ‘The Green Ceiling’.

A study completed by the Solar Industry in 2019 [3] tracked gender, race, and ethnicity in the solar workforce (see Figure 1 for breakdown by race). Their reports show that 80 percent of senior executives in the solar industry are men and only 20 percent are women.

Good News

Green 2.0 also does a ‘Transparency Report Card’ annually. This study presents diversity data from the most influential non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and foundations on the number of women and people of color on their full-time staffs, senior staffs, and boards. The full report shows the individual data for the top 40 NGOs and funders as reported over the four years. Figure 2 shows that the number of women and people of color have gone up slightly in the past 4 years.

Why Does This Matter?

International research consistently shows that a diverse workforce and gender-balanced boardrooms result in greater organizational performance and stronger bottom lines, both in the private and public sectors. A study done by McKinsey & Company showed that more diverse companies are better able to win top talent and improve their customer orientation, employee satisfaction, and decision making [4]. This can all lead to a cycle of increasing returns. 

Workplace diversity also brings new perspectives, a wider talent pool, more innovation, happier staff and increased profits [5]. Improving workplace diversity benefits all involved. As individuals and organizations, we must acknowledge the inequities that exist for women and people of color. The critical work to care for our planet requires an intersectional mindset and it is up to us to be allies and advocate for more inclusive and equitable workplaces.

“Evidence from many sectors suggests that integrating women into all levels of the energy value chain will lead to more effective clean energy initiatives.””

— Lorena Aguilar, International Union for Conservation of Nature

What Can We Do About It?

Environmental justice should be at the forefront of all organizations. Coming together to acknowledge and make changes for a more inclusive workplace requires all of us. We applaud the many organizations that are already making space for this work in their organizations. We also see many communities and municipalities prioritizing inclusion and community engagement. However, there is always room for growth. Here are some ideas to get started:

What this looks like:  

• Assess your organization:

  • Use this tool from Colorado State University. 

•  Change hiring and recruitment practices to be more equitable:

  • Use Avarna Groups Inclusive Hiring Toolkit.

• Support women and people of color in your work:

  • Make the case [6].

  • Use this Black Founders List.

• Empower the next generation:

  • Support or volunteer with She’s in Power.

    • She’s in Power is a workforce development and networking program that I am involved in that is aimed at addressing the clean energy workforce gender and race gap through project-based learning.  She’s in Power teams are made up of volunteer mentees (Sparks), mentors (Energizers), and community partners (Power Partners) that develop and deploy hands-on Power Projects, each working to measurably reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Colorado. 

    • Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or if you would like to be involved. We are currently recruiting committee volunteers, mentors, and mentees. Diane@lotussustainability.com. 

  • Support or volunteer with the GRID Alternatives Program.

  • Support or volunteer with Groundwork Denver.

  • Develop an inclusive career pipeline within your organization.

• Engage in policy and advocacy work:

  • Conservation Colorado.

  • Energy Outreach Colorado. 

Efforts at Lotus

Here at Lotus, we play a part in this as well. We acknowledge the history of systemic issues that have caused these inequalities and we understand that we have work to do. We are five white women. While we are proud of our woman-founded, women-owned, and women-led company, we realize that we are missing representation from BIPOC communities, the LGBTQ community, and those in possession of a Y-chromosome. We have consciously chosen to be a small company and, therefore, we grow slowly. When we decide it is time to expand our team, we will investigate why our previous job announcements did not reach or seem inviting to BIPOC communities. We will strive to ensure that our job announcements reach a broader audience. We will also:

• Educate ourselves on our country’s history, identify our own internal biases, and focus on becoming better listeners.

• Create a program that matches employee donations to organizations that align with our employees’ personal commitments.

• Advocate for inclusivity and equity considerations in all of our work.  

As we continue to grow, we are committed to learning how to increase our team’s diversity, and we will continue to welcome and invite those with different perspectives to join our industry. Read more about our commitments in our July 2020 Blog.

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1 See: Green 2.0 Research Summary.

2 See  Clean Energy Ministerial Status Report on Gender Equality in the Energy Sector.

3 See Solar Foundation Diversity Infographic.

4 See McKinsey & Company ‘Why Diversity Matters’.

5 See BCG Diversity and Innovation Study.

6 See GreenBiz BIPOC and Women owned Suppliers. 

7 See InsideClimateNews.org.

Creatively Communicating Climate Change in a Data-Heavy World

written by Rachel Meier.

The days of the static bar graph and pie chart are going by the wayside. In our ever-growing digital world, there are many new software options and apps that are available to help communicate data more creatively to the public. Over the past few years, Lotus has been working to incorporate many of these new technologies into our work.

Especially this year, visualizing data that can be hosted digitally has become extremely important. As more projects and programs move online, companies are similarly transitioning the way they transmit and translate data to their clients and the world. Some platforms create data dashboards that show multiple interactive graphs and charts (Power BI and Tableau), websites that create innovative new chart types to help show data in unique and engaging ways (SankeyMatic and Vizzlo), and websites that illustrate data on a map and create story websites around the data (ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS StoryMaps). There are even platforms to help virtually engage with the public and stakeholders, and Lotus has taken advantage of many of these platforms!

There are many advantages to using these new platforms. One reason is that users enjoy being able to interact with their data and information in general. When the user can manipulate the data on their own, they are able to not only access the specific information they need more quickly but they are also able to teach themselves. One example of this is the dashboard seen below. Lotus worked with the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) to create the Rebuild and Re-energize Colorado website, which includes a dashboard that tells the story of the Energy Performance Contracting program. If the user selects a project on the map, the charts and the meters change to share details about that project.

Another reason to switch from static charts is that users can more easily draw their own conclusions when the data is presented to them in an interactive format. Many people learn best by doing, and these innovative charts and dashboards allow the user to “mess around” until they come to a conclusion or discover a unique takeaway that drives them back to explore the data further. The multitude of new chart types also allows the creator to create charts for all different types of users and learners, ideally making the data easy to understand regardless of who is looking at or using it. Finally, using these visualizations can help create a story around your data. Especially with platforms that use maps and other methods of tying data to places, users are better able to comprehend how the data will impact their lives. An example of this is a map from the CEO website which describes the density and distribution of electric vehicle charging stations across the state and how cities are planning for expanded charging infrastructure.

Stories are one of the oldest forms of communication.[1] By incorporating your data and charts into a story, you create a logical format from which users can draw conclusions and find takeaways. Narratives can help the reader understand complex statistics and data and can also help the researcher or data collector better understand their data and communicate it effectively with their audience. Using stories to communicate your data can also lead your user to take action. Telling the story about your data (including through audio) can also be useful in communicating the data to audiences that may not be visual learners or may not be able to see. These audiences are typically left out of the conversation when deciding how to visualize data and using stories that are verbalized can help bring these audiences in and make data science more accessible and inclusive.

Data visualization and storytelling have evolved greatly in recent years and will likely continue to evolve into the future. Lotus will continue to use these platforms and will experiment with new platforms not yet created to be able to find the best way to communicate our work with clients and the public.

[1] See: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6f9a/2595ae37f1c03f7e8b2902965fef78e40bcd.pdf.

In Solidarity

written by Emily Artale with input from all Lotus Staff.

We vehemently condemn acts of violence against people of color. We wish to add our voices to the growing list of those who will strive to be better allies to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

From Crested Butte News, photo by Nolan Blunck.

This past weekend I attended a Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally in my hometown, Crested Butte. It was well attended – a couple of hundred people for a community of around 3,000. A brass band from Denver, Brothers of Brass, came along with spoken word artists from around the state. There was a lot of discussion and positive energy. What stuck out to me the most was a comment made by my friend and the event’s organizer: “…There is nothing more important right now than the fact that people are getting murdered because they look like me.” She’s right. While we are usually focused on the health of our planet, we mustn’t overlook the dire need to contribute to the health and safety of our people.

We want to do our part. We want to be better humans and grow and listen.

Here is what the Lotus team is committed to doing:

We will continue to educate ourselves on our country’s history, identify our own internal biases, and focus on becoming better listeners.

We have participated in local marches and rallies, we are initiating discussions with members of our communities, and we are reading books, articles, and blogs, and listening to conversations that will help us better understand our roles as allies. We will research opportunities for our staff to participate in equity training so we can be more prepared to incorporate equity into all of our current and future projects.

Books that we are reading include: Racing to Justice, The New Jim Crowe, So You Want to Talk About Race, Stamped from the Beginning, Raising White Kids, Farming While Black, and White Fragility. Please let us know if you have any book recommendations!

Through this process, we hope that we will be able to lessen our naivety and contribute to a more equal community. And we will pass along what we learn.

We will recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday and match employee donations to organizations supporting, promoting, and elevating BIPOC communities.

Starting in 2021, Lotus will be adding Juneteenth as a paid holiday for our employees to recognize and celebrate the official end to slavery in the United States. Additionally, Lotus will create a program that matches employee donations to organizations that align with our employees’ personal commitments.

As we continue to grow, we are committed to learning how to increase our team’s diversity, and we will continue to welcome and invite those with different perspectives to join our industry.

We are four white women. While we are proud of our woman-founded, women-owned, and women-led company, we realize that we are missing representation from BIPOC communities, the LGBTQ community, and those in possession of a Y-chromosome. We have consciously chosen to be a small company and, therefore, we grow slowly. When we decide it is time to expand our team, we will investigate why our previous job announcements did not reach or seem inviting to BIPOC communities. We will strive to ensure that our job announcements reach a broader audience.

We will advocate for inclusivity and equity considerations in all of our work.

Since the onset of our climate action planning work, we have tried to include discussions around environmental justice and equity. At times we have been more successful than others. We will strive to look for additional equity partners to better inform our work, and we will strongly encourage our clients to look closely at inclusivity and impacts on BIPOC communities and other vulnerable groups. Voices from these communities have been historically left out of many climate conversations even when these communities bear a greater brunt of climate change impacts. We honor the wisdom from BIPOC communities, and we will always invite them to the table during our climate discussions so that we may learn and grow.

Finally, we strive to honor and acknowledge the Native and ancestral peoples and history that have been displaced in the lands where we work. In this way we aim to recognize the history of colonialism and the impacts it has had on BIPOC communities.

No City is Too Small to Help Reduce Global Carbon Emissions

Cities and towns (cities) are a critical partner in the design of a low-carbon future. Generating up to 70 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,[1] cities can drive down carbon emissions through sustainable policies and programs. Not only do these actions have the potential to improve the health of our planet, but cities are also uniquely positioned to lead the transformation of our current fossil-fuel based society into one that fosters more jobs, better health, and brings a more just and equitable economy.

Fortunately, we know what cities need to do.

Approximately 40 percent of cities’ GHG emissions is derived from energy used to operate buildings, transportation emissions make up approximately another 40 percent, and the remaining emissions are generated from the degradation of municipal solid waste, wastewater treatment, and other small sources. There are a few caveats and some cities may have uniquely high contributions from the oil and gas, mining, and agricultural sectors. However, in most cases, the bulk of cities’ emissions are derived from the burning of fossil fuels used in buildings and vehicles.

After years of modeling GHG reduction scenarios, we know some key strategies that reduce the most carbon emissions. The five key strategies are:

1. Commit to sourcing 100 percent of electricity from renewable energy.

2. Electrify buildings by converting combustion fuel systems to electric systems.

3. Replace internal combustion engine vehicles with electric vehicles.

4. Develop and implement inclusive building energy efficiency programs.

5. Shift from traditional single-occupancy travel to ride sharing, transit, biking, and walking.

These actions could reduce most cities’ GHG emissions by upwards of 80 percent. A variety of other solutions are available and should be considered such as zero waste commitments, improved wastewater treatment, and reducing consumption-based activities. Although these activities may not reduce our GHG emissions as much as the list noted above, they contribute tremendously to land, water, and air pollution; public health; community cohesiveness; and general community values.

Strategy 1: 100 Percent Renewable Energy Commitment

Adopting a commitment to source 100 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources is the most impactful move that a community can make to reduce its carbon emissions. While adopting a commitment may seem “soft”, it is impactful. We have seen it. We have seen small municipalities advocate, fight, and even sue their electric utilities so that more renewables can be put onto the grid. And they have been successful in making change. So successful that, in a matter of years, these same utilities committed to their own aggressive renewable goals.

Strategy 2: Electrify Buildings

Electrifying buildings can come with significant financial, political, and equity hurdles. Yet, it must be included to meet ambitious carbon reduction targets. Consider that approximately 50 percent of residential and up to 70 percent of commercial buildings’ energy usage is fueled by natural gas and most buildings in the Rocky Mountain West use natural gas as their heating fuel. By replacing this fuel with electricity, generated from a renewable source, buildings can essentially eliminate all carbon emissions.

Strategy 3: Electrify Transportation

Similar to electrically run buildings, electric mobility options that are implemented in sequence with a greener grid, are critical to reducing carbon. History has shown us that getting people out of their cars isn’t enough and it’s difficult to implement and enforce, thus we must change the vehicles that we drive. Transitioning them from fossil fuel-based energy sources to renewable sources is the most effective way to green our mobility infrastructure.

Strategy 4: Implement Inclusive Energy Efficiency Programs

In addition to reducing carbon in and of itself, reducing energy consumption is essential for meeting 100 percent renewable energy goals. Electrifying buildings and mobility systems adds electricity to the grid, making it harder for utilities to cost-effectively add more renewable energy and manage the grid. Energy efficiency programs that are inclusive – target and include all members of the community – provide simultaneous benefits to a community’s carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling the key 100 percent renewable energy goal.

Strategy 5: Reduce Single-Occupancy Vehicle Travel

Getting out of our cars and reducing single-occupancy vehicle travel through transit, carpooling, biking, and walking will reduce emissions from fossil fuel-based vehicles and will ease the strain on the electric grid. Though slightly less impactful than the other key four strategies, increasing mobility options is an essential component to reduce emissions and improves the quality of life for the cities’ residents.

[1] See: https://www.c40.org/why_cities.

How Local Governments Create Resilient Cities

The Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) was established in 2017 when the North American Compact of Mayors and the EU’s Covenant of Mayors merged. This created a network of more than 10,000 cities and local governments from six continents and 139 countries that are working towards “supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and towards a resilient and low-emission economy.”[i] Cities and local governments can register to join the GCoM and by doing so they are committing to implementing and monitoring strategic action plans while making information on their efforts and results publicly available.

Figure 1. GCoM’s six top priorities for national action. See Climate Emergency, Urban Opportunity.

In September of this year the GCoM, as part of a coalition of more than 50 global organizations, released a report titled “Climate Emergency, Urban Opportunity.”[ii] This report was released just before the UN’s Climate Action Summit, and in the midst of worldwide School Strikes for Climate led by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The report “quantifies the social, environmental, and economic benefits available to national governments willing to enable, empower, and invest in zero-carbon cities.” Additionally, the report aims to rebalance the global conversation around cities, underscoring the crucial roles of national and state governments, in partnership with local governments, in shaping cities.

One of the main points made in the report is the fact that, with current technologies and practices, it is feasible for cities across the world to decrease emissions 90% by 2050 from 2010 levels. These emission reductions would primarily come from building electrification and efficiency (58%), followed by transportation (21%), materials efficiency (16%), and waste diversion and reduction (5%). This is an ambitious goal that would require significant capital investment (around $1.83 trillion, or 2% of global GDP annually), but with increasing concern that the planet is headed towards climate catastrophe,[iii] these investments may pale in comparison with the amount that would be spent coping with forthcoming climate impacts. While national-level policies will be key to advancing climate action globally, cities have shown that they can be leaders in making concrete decisions that will make their residents resilient to future climate impacts.

Currently, less than 40% of all countries have an explicit national strategy for cities (in relation to UN Sustainable Development Goal #11 [make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable]). This gap leaves cities and countries vulnerable to risks related to climate change. City governments account for nearly one third of the emissions reduction potential and can significantly influence the actions taken by national governments worldwide.[iv] The report lists six top priorities for national action (Figure 1), with the overarching priority being to “proactively plan for a just transition to zero-carbon cities.” It is imperative for cities to use these strategies to advocate for “ambitious, coordinated climate action.”

The report also features case studies of cities across the world that have made rapid, sustainable transitions that have helped their residents become more resilient towards climate change impacts. One of those cities is Indore, India. Indore was plagued by waste and smog throughout the city, leading to protests by citizens. To combat the growing waste problem, the City took action by now offering twice-daily door-to-door waste collection services, even to citizens living in settlements. Residents pay around $0.86 per month for these services and sort the waste and recycling themselves. The government in Indore has constructed a biogas plant for organic waste which fuels City buses, and also has plans to construct more biogas plants in the future to power more of the City’s bus fleet. Recycled plastic is also sold for use in the construction of roads and buildings in the City. These initiatives are made possible through national legislation called the Swachh Bharat Mission,[v] which has a goal of creating a clean and defecation free India by 2019. There is also national legislation in India which allows cities to borrow money to enact these initiatives. There are some outstanding inclusion problems, which the City is working towards mitigating, but Indore is now an example city in India and across the world for waste management.

Another example of a rapid, sustainable transition is in Seoul, South Korea. After the end of the Korean War, Seoul began to expand rapidly, which led to the expansion of informal developments. This was creating sprawl within Seoul, and the City quickly passed several pieces of legislation aimed at combating sprawl and agglomerating the housing options within the city. By readjusting land and creating a higher density throughout the entire city (17,000 residents per square kilometer) and capitalizing on the construction by redesigning the metro rail system simultaneously, Seoul residents now experience less congestion, well-situated housing options, and lower cost of living. Agglomeration also helps create resiliency in Seoul; sitting just slightly above sea level,[vi] building up rather than out helps prevent infrastructure costs associated with sea level rise. Pairing mitigation strategies with resilience efforts is helping to make Seoul a climate ready city.

At Lotus, we work with many municipal and state clients to help them with rapid, sustainable transitions towards resiliency. Cities throughout Colorado can take the lessons learned from these case studies and can take the strategies provided in this report to make strides toward increasing the sustainability and resiliency of their cities.

[i] https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/about/

[ii] https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Climate-Emergency-Urban-Opportunity-report.pdf

[iii] https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2019

[iv] https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Climate-Emergency-Urban-Opportunity-Briefing-for-mayors.pdf

[v] http://swachhbharatmission.gov.in/SBMCMS/about-us.htm

[vi] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul

Equality versus Equity – What does it all mean? (Part 2)

There are many connections between our climate, health, environment, economics, and social structure and we have seen throughout history examples of how the interconnections work. Globally and at a local level, we are facing an increased number of extreme weather events (e.g. flooding, extreme heat or cold temperatures, etc.) that result in economic loss, detrimental health and environmental effects, and reduced resiliency for communities. Furthermore, when considering the economic effects of climate change alone, it has been shown that on a global scale vulnerability to climate change is inversely tied to gross domestic product, as shown in the figure.[1] This means that it is often the groups and countries that are already less prosperous that will be most dramatically impacted by climate change.

Figure 1. Vulnerability to Climate Change and Gross Domestic Product

Within every community there are many activities that contribute to the changing climate through the release of greenhouse gas emissions and related environmental impacts; this includes activities in transportation, electricity use, wastewater treatment, solid waste, industrial processes, and agriculture. Often, the environmental impact of these activities may dis-proportionally affect certain members and groups within the entire community. Taking an equity lens can be useful in understanding how to mitigate environmental impacts in a way that brings benefits to the entire community and does not create undue harm to particularly vulnerable groups. 

A good example of how one can take an equity lens can be found with community electricity generation and use. The fossil fuels that have historically been used for electricity generation are extracted (typically) from less populated, poorer, and disadvantaged areas of the country. Processing and refining plants may also be located in or near these disadvantaged communities. The extraction, processing, and combustion of the fossil fuels causes air pollution, which then impacts the health of surrounding populations, and can also cause other adverse effects including spills, contamination, and accidents. The communities most impacted by the close proximity of these activities do not typically receive significant economic benefit from the extraction, processing, and use of these fossil fuels. A solution to reducing the impact on these front line communities, and toward reducing the environmental impact of electricity generation in general, is through transitioning to renewable energy for electricity generation. Doing so will result in increased economic resilience by creating more jobs, reduced poor air quality and related health impacts to the front line communities that are located near fossil fuel extraction and processing sites, and overall emission reductions from electricity.

However, even with the example provided above of a potential equitable solution to how electricity is generated, there are always challenges and there is no one size fits all solution. The specific needs of the community require careful consideration to identify the most equitable and sustainable strategies to address the challenges of today. Increasing the use of solar energy through a community solar garden may work well in one area, whereas in another it may not because of the cost to subscribers, the approval process, the requirements surrounding how many subscribers need to qualify as low-income, etc. The same situation applies to increasing public transit options. The goal may be to reduce use of single-occupancy vehicles (and the emissions associated with their use), but the community make-up may not be one in which people would use public transit if it were offered. Or, perhaps the transit options offered are ones in which emissions are high, now posing additional potential health complications.

Recognizing the specific needs of a community can occur by listening to the collective community voice through workshops, informational sessions, and dialogue with community members. Light may then be shed on the specific concerns of the entire community, such as whether the community is concerned about the increase in wildfires that destroy community structures and homes, or the flooding that removes bridges and washes out roads. Taking an equity lens to climate mitigation and resilience allows policy makers and program managers to consider the needs of the entire community and account for the well-being of its citizens and the well-being of the environment. Such consideration requires authentic attention, intention, engagement, and integration. Equity is not something to take lightly, as history shows those typically most affected by our changing climate include communities of color, elderly, youth, and disadvantaged communities. Planners, policymakers, businesses, consultants, etc. must address all aspects of equity as it applies to sustainability strategies and climate action. This is vital as our society strives to develop sustainable communities that are healthy places with a high quality of life for residents.

Many of our clients have taken equity into consideration in the past, and many are placing even more emphasis on equity now as they evaluate their initiatives, strategies, and plans moving forward. It’s exciting for Lotus to be a part of the movement forward toward a sustainable, vibrant, and healthy future – one that provides a high quality of life for this generation and generations to come.

[1] For more information, see: https://thinkprogress.org/how-fossil-fuels-make-inequality-worse-61acdb913aa6/

Equality versus Equity – What does it all mean?

Source: https://www.nwhu.on.ca/ourservices/Pages/Equity-vs-Equality.aspx

At the very basic level, the idea of equality is that everyone receives the same or equal. Equity, on the other hand, aims to make all things fair.  Take the image as an example. Here we see that “equality” means all the people have the same size of box to stand on, but that does not mean they can all reach the fruit in the tree. When there is “equity”, everyone has the size of box they need, so each has a fair chance to reach the fruit.

Equity is critical in all areas of sustainability, whether you are considering the three Es (environment, economic, and ethical) or the triple bottom line (people, profit, planet). Many facets of equity exist, for example, environmental justice and social justice are two components of equity and they are intertwined. Environmental justice must be addressed in land use plans, policies, and actions. No longer is placing a large power plant next to a low-income neighborhood easily tolerated. Social justice includes providing people fair treatment and unbiased share of social, environmental, and economic benefits.

Awareness of climate equity is not new. The concept of climate equity has been in the forefront for more than two decades on an international and national climate policy level.[1] The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), also known as Local Governments for Sustainability (an organization Lotus has a long-standing relationship with), has been addressing the issue of climate equity since the 1990s in terms of greenhouse gas emissions management.

The good news is that equity issues are addressed frequently by local governments as initiatives involving sustainability are developed and implemented. As an example, the City of Portland and Multnomah County have made climate equity a central focus of their Climate Action Plan and acknowledge that climate change impacts some people more than others (to read more, Climate Action Through Equity can be found here).

To take this concept a little further, we turn to the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), and their September 2014 report, “Equity in Sustainability, An Equity Scan of Local Government Sustainability Programs”. In the report, USDN expands upon the idea of equality versus equity in terms of sustainability and the idea that equity is a core component of sustainability. USDN sheds light on the fact that equity in sustainability needs to be incorporated into procedures, distribution of benefits and burdens, structural accountability, and generational impact.  (For more information, the report can be found here. )

Like many other well-respected organizations and experts on the matter, Lotus believes equity needs to be an integral part of all our work. We strive to weave this into our projects through stakeholder engagement, outreach, and education with the underlying firm belief that education and information leads to action. Policies, initiatives, strategy development, etc. should be approached with an authentic lens of equity if we are going to be successful at taking a stand to curb the impacts of climate change and trying to course-correct our trajectory. By doing this, it puts us on a path toward a sustainable future and to ensure equitable access to the benefits a sustainable future presents for all generations.

[1] World Resources Institute. 2019. “Climate Equity.” https://www.wri.org/our-work/project/climate-equity.

Momentum in Climate Action: Legislation and Utilities

During the recent Colorado legislative session, state senators and representatives took significant steps to support climate action initiatives through legislation. Below is a summary of a few very exciting recent bills in Colorado:

• Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution (HB19-1261) directly address reducing statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It establishes a statewide goal to reduce emissions by at least 26% by 2025, 50% by 2030, and at least 90% by 2050 (all targets are based on a 2005 emission baseline).

• Collect Long-term Climate Change Data (SB19-096) requires the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to collect data from GHG emitting entities, report on the data, includes a forecase of emissions, and propose a draft rule to address emissions by July 1, 2020.

• Community Solar Gardens Modernization Act (HB19-1003) increases the allowable size of a community solar garden from 2 to 5 megawatts. It also removes the requirement that subscribers must be location in the same county as, or adjacent to, the county where the community solar garden is located.

Other Colorado bills focused on requiring standards of water and energy efficiency for new appliances sold in the state (HB19-1231) and requiring that communities update their building energy codes to one of the most recent three International Energy Conservation Codes when updating their general building codes (HB19-1260). Governor Jared Polis has made electric vehicles a focus of his climate and energy policy, and the legislature responded by passing bills to support the electric vehicle market, including a bill that focuses on grants for electric vehicle charging stations (HB19-1198) and another bill that extends the tax credit for vehicle purchases (HB19-1159). The impact from these bills would be far-reaching and based on a February 2019 poll, just what Coloradans are looking for in terms of regulatory leadership. Based on the poll of 400 Coloradans done by the Global Strategy Group, 84% said they wanted federal and state action on climate change, and 79% supported a 100% renewable energy policy.

While HB19-1313 did not pass, and would have required carbon reductions in electricity production for large utilities in the state, there are forces outside of the state legislature that will likely also lead to emissions reductions. Xcel Energy, the largest electricity provider in the state, recently announced plans to implement its Colorado Energy Plan that includes more wind and solar energy and a path forward to reduce carbon emissions. Xcel’s goals for a carbon-free future include 80 percent less carbon by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-free by 2050. Other utilities across the country are taking similar action. Idaho Power already generates about 50 percent of its power from hydropower and now plans to generate all electricity from renewable sources by 2045. Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) plans to retire it’s coal plants over the next 10 years (roughly 65 to 70 percent of their generating capacity is from coal).

Other areas of the country are making progress too. According to the November 2017 report “America’s Pledge Phase 1 Report: States, Cities, and Businesses in the United States Are Stepping Up on Climate Action”, which can be found here, the transition to a lower carbon future can be attributed to many factors including cleaner energy and transportation options, solar power pricing reductions, and lower pricing for vehicle batteries. The list of areas where impacts can be made to reduce emissions is long and covers many areas of sustainability. States, cities, and businesses alike are making strides. The figure shown here (Figure ES-3 from the 2017 report) depicts the variety of sustainability measures and the number of states that have adopted them.

Are these measures enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change? While recent legislative activity at the state level in Colorado and elsewhere in the county are moving us in the right direction, more movement is needed to ensure a safe and healthy future for the planet. The call to action is pressing….and for us here at Lotus, it’s exciting to see collaboration on global, nationwide, and local levels to address climate change.

An Overview of the IPCC Special Report on 1.5 Degrees of Warming (Part 2)

Following on Part 1 of our blog on the recent IPCC special report related to climate change, this blog (Part 2) focuses on the path forward and is written by Maggie Zeh, senior at Rock Canyon High School. Maggie worked with Lotus as part of her senior career exploration coursework. She is passionate about the environment and interested in pursuing a career in sustainability. Maggie plans to continue following these passions this fall at the University of Michigan, where she will major in Environmental Science. Lotus wishes Maggie all the best in her future endeavors!

Photo by Jeff King on Unsplash

Emission Pathways and System Transitions Consistent with 1.5ºC Global Warming

In order to limit climate change to 1.5 ºC, anthropogenic CO2 emissions would need to decrease by 45% of 2010 levels by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. This is possible through renewable energy, feedstocks with sustainable diets, replacing GHG-intensive products with more natural ones, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). Improved air quality and nearly immediate health benefits can be experienced by reducing non-CO2 emissions, including methane. Limiting global warming requires rapid transitions in energy, land, urban environments, infrastructure, and industrial systems which have never been done on such a wide scale. Renewable energy would have to provide 70%-85% of electricity in 2050 in order to limit warming to 1.5 ºC. Energy from coal would have to be almost entirely eliminated, while only 8% of electricity could come from natural gas. Recent improvements in renewable energy and storage indicate that such a transition could be attainable. Land use would also have to change, including devoting less land to agriculture or transitioning to more regenerative land management practices. This can be attained by ecosystem restoration and less resource-intensive diets. These necessary transitions could be inhibited by economic, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers.

           Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) could help eventually achieve negative net emissions. This includes replanting forests, restoring land, carbon sequestration, and the capture and storage of carbon in the atmosphere. All of these result in a smaller amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Almost all pathways that limit global warming to 1.5 ºC utilize CDR to some extent. CDR would also be beneficial for improving biodiversity, soil quality, and food security.

Strengthening the Global Response in the Context of Sustainable Development and Social Justice

Limiting warming to 1.5 ºC can only be achieved if CO2 emissions start to decline very soon. At current rates, global warming of 3 ºC by 2100 can be expected. Sustainable development, the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequality will be easier and more attainable if warming is limited to 1.5 ºC. Sustainable development balances social well-being, economic prosperity, and environmental protection. Mitigation efforts will be more feasible with strengthened governance, improved technology, and lifestyle changes. Adaptation methods have the potential to help the environment but could also be damaging if not properly carried out. Adaptation is most effective when its methods keep in mind economic and sustainable development. Adaptation which reduces emissions will typically result in significant cost savings. Pathways that include low energy demand, reduced material consumption, and less GHG-intensive diets have the most benefits for sustainable development and the least tradeoffs. Mitigation can pose economic risks for regions associated with high dependency on fossil fuels for revenue. These challenges can be addressed by policies that promote diversification of the economy and the energy sector. To limit risks to sustainable development and poverty eradication, system transitions will need an increase of investments, policies, technology, and behavior changes. While confronting climate change, it is important to keep in mind social justice: create positive change without making certain groups of people worse off. Many pathways limiting climate change require international cooperation and the support of governments, civil society, the private sector, indigenous peoples, and local communities.

Conclusion

           There are many pathways which can be used to address the issue of climate change. Some changes are more necessary and will be more effective than others. Local governments around the world have very strong potential to address and mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change and are therefore uniquely positioned to take affective action in their policies and practices to address climate change. Technology is evolving and changing constantly, and this evolution and innovation will also play a key role in how climate change will be handled. New ways to carry out daily operations more sustainably will help make this as smooth of a transition as possible. It is entirely possible to limit climate change while also improving the quality of life for everyone, and this will be achieved most successfully if the entire global community participates.

IPCC, 2018: Summary for Policymakers. In:Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty[Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)].World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 32 pp.

An Overview of the IPCC Special Report on 1.5 Degrees of Warming (Part 1)

Today is Earth Day, which was established on April 22, 1970 when millions of people took to the streets to protest the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development. Fast forward to 2019, Earth Day is now a global event filled with political action and civic participation.

Along the lines of recognizing the impacts from industrial development, and specifically impacts to our climate, our two-part blog series focuses on a special report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The blog series is written by Maggie Zeh, senior at Rock Canyon High School; Part 1 provides a summary and highlights of the report. Maggie worked with Lotus as part of her senior career exploration coursework. She is passionate about the environment and interested in pursuing a career in sustainability. Maggie plans to continue following these passions this fall as she starts studying at the University of Michigan, where she will major in Environmental Science.

An Overview of the IPCC Special Report on 1.5 Degrees of Warming

Photo by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash

In October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a special report outlining the impacts of climate change if temperatures raise 1.5 ºC above pre-industrial levels. This report also analyzes the difference between limiting climate change to 1.5 ºC as opposed to 2 ºC. The goal of this report is to explain how the response to climate change, sustainable development, and the eradication of poverty can be most effectively addressed and expanded. The data and projections in this report are based on scientific data in addition to socioeconomic influences.

 Understanding Global Warming of 1.5 ºC

               Human actions have already caused global temperatures to rise by about 1 ºC. This number will most likely rise to 1.5 ºC between 2030 and 2052 due to human impact if conditions remain the same. This means anthropogenic global warming (i.e., the climate change caused solely by human activity) is approximately 0.2 ºC per decade. This increase in temperature will be accompanied by heightened risks as climate change escalates. Changes in natural systems have already been observed and are expected to be more drastic as temperatures continue to rise. Mitigation actions can help reduce climate related risks in the future. In order to prevent further warming and reverse some damages, negative net anthropogenic CO2 emissions may be required. Negative net emissions can be achieved through projects including carbon capture, storage, and sequestration. These actions remove CO2 from the atmosphere, which results in reductions to total global CO2 levels. More challenges will be experienced at a warming of 2 ºC as opposed to 1.5 ºC. Various ecosystems have already started to experience negative effects of climate change, some of which are most likely irreversible. With increased mitigation and adaptation efforts, these risks can be reduced.

 Potential Impacts and Risks of Climate Change

                       Some of the most widely experienced impacts of climate change above 1.5 ºC include increases in average and extreme temperatures in many inhabited regions and altered precipitation levels. Most regions will experience a greater number of hot days, and this will become increasingly more extreme closer to the equator. Changes in precipitation will cause more droughts in some regions while it will produce more tropical cyclones and floods in others. Sea levels are expected to rise nearly a meter by 2100 at current rates. This can also cause irreversible loss of ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, which would consequently cause sea levels to rise multiple meters further after the year 2100. Small islands and costal areas with low elevations will have to adapt the most to this change in sea level. A great loss of biodiversity and various ecosystems can also be an expected result of climate change. Forest fires and the spread of invasive species is expected to increase along with climate change. Limiting global warming to 1.5 ºC as opposed to 2 ºC will likely reduce the increase in ocean temperatures and acidification and limit a decrease in ocean oxygen levels. The habitats of many marine animals will most likely shift further North or South, damaging many ecosystems. At 1.5 ºC, only 10%-30% of coral reefs are expected to persist. More adaptation measures will need to be taken if temperatures raise to 2 ºC and it will be easier to adapt at 1.5 ºC.

In addition to causing damage to the natural world, climate change can also pose risks to many socio-economic concerns. This can include food and water security, health issues, livelihood, human security, and economic growth. Climate change will pose the greatest risks to regions in the Arctic, dry land, and small islands as well as Least Developed Countries (countries with the least socioeconomic development). Poverty and disadvantage are also expected to rise as a result of climate change. Human health will likely experience negative consequences as well. If global temperatures raise to 2 ºC, more crop yields will be reduced by a greater amount than they would be at 1.5 ºC. Deaths related to heat and the ozone are expected to increase, as well as vector born diseases. There are limits to all regions’ abilities to adapt, and they are higher at 2 ºC.

Conclusion

The first half of this blog outlines the findings from the IPCC Special Assessment Report regarding what has caused climate change and the impact it will have on different aspects of the natural and human worlds. Human activity has played a key role in this issue and will most likely be one of the most effected factors. At current emissions rates, a variety of risks will be presented to the world, so mitigation and adaptation are both necessities. Factors like geographical region and socioeconomic development will determine the extent to which populations and natural systems will be impacted.

Multiple pathways have been created which outline different measures that can be taken to address the issue of climate change, and what their effect will be. Some of these pathways are in fact able to prevent climate change from reaching 2 ºC, which is ideal. Part two of this blog will highlight some of these opportunities which will reduce the risks experienced by humans and natural systems.

IPCC, 2018: Summary for Policymakers. In:Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty[Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)].World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 32 pp.

More than the 'iGen', Part 2

This blog post is written by Maggie Zeh, a senior at Rock Canyon High School that is working with Lotus as part of her senior career exploration coursework. Maggie is passionate about the environment and interested in pursuing a carrier in sustainability. This is Part 2 of a blog post Maggie wrote about youth action in climate change; to learn more about youth involvement in the climate action movement, please be sure to read Part 1 as well.

hSlava Bowman on Unsplash

Youth Engagement on an International Scale

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is dedicated to working with countries around the world to reach agreements to come together and reduce the damage of climate change. One fundamental component of this is youth engagement. Many of these conferences involve youth activities, including workshops to educate kids about climate change and inspire them to take action in their own communities. Youth briefings also give children and teens access to high level delegates to ask their own most pressing questions. One of the most exciting events is the Annual Global Youth Video Competition on Climate Change, where young people from around the world produce and enter their videos about different categories of climate change. In 2018, two individuals from Mexico and India were named the winners and had the honor to attend a conference in Poland to be recognized and show their videos to a broad audience.

Engaging Youth Through Social Media

One of the best ways to convey a message to younger generations is through social media. This has inspired many people to turn to applications such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat to spread the word about climate change. Many teens follow their favorite celebrities on these platforms to stay up to date with their lives. A large number of celebrities use their fame for a good cause: to educate their fans about a cause they believe in. One prime example of this is Leonardo DiCaprio. In addition to being a very successful and well-known actor, DiCaprio happens to be a very dedicated environmentalist, who uses his platform to spread the message to his fan base. Instead of finding photos related to his latest movies and awards on his Instagram profile, it is filled with photos of the environment. These photos are accompanied by captions that describe current events relating to climate change and what can be done to mitigate it. Many young people use social media to receive quick news updates.

Personally, I follow the United Nation’s Environment Programme on Instagram to stay up-to-date in this field. This page, and those similar to it, instigates further research among people of all ages. Many young people also use their personal profiles to spread their thoughts about climate change on a smaller scale. The popular app Snapchat can also have a similar effect. Users can choose to subscribe to different news platforms’ “Stories”. Many of these are related to pop culture, but there are still others that are more informative about current matters. For example, National Geographic has a “Story” everyday, and some of the articles found in it are related to climate change. As teens scroll through the feed of these different platforms, they are bound to come in contact with articles and information relating to these issues.

Small Town Involvement

The city of Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, has set a very ambitious Climate Action Plan (CAP), with the ultimate goal of being carbon neutral by 2040. Youth involvement has played a key role in the development of this plan through the local high schools Roots and Shoots environmental club; these youth continue to be involved in the implementation of the climate action plan through outreach and education efforts in the community. Across the state of Minnesota many young people have come together under the campaign “MN Can’t Wait” and they have demands for all three branches of the government. They recently met with their new governor, Tim Walz, to express their demands. Walz agreed that he shared their sense of urgency, but has not yet taken executive action on the issue. The group also has goals to prevent any new climate infrastructure as well as to help a transition to a more sustainable economy. These kids are a great example of how age does not need to limit their aspirations and achievements.

Climate change is a rising issue that is gaining more and more attention from all generations. Young people particularly stand out in this field because we are the group of people who are set up to face the most dramatic effects yet. Many of us have been inspired for different reasons to take action and be a force of change in this modern issue.

Photo by Josh Barwick on Unsplash

More than the 'iGen', Part 1

This blog post is written by Maggie Zeh, a senior at Rock Canyon High School that is working with Lotus as part of her senior career exploration coursework. Maggie is passionate about the environment and interested in pursuing a career in sustainability.

 Today’s youth is the generation predicted to face the worst effects of climate change. While people working professionally in the fields of sustainability and climate action are driving many efforts on this impending issue, there are extensive examples of children and teens around the world taking matters into their own hands. Our impact can be seen on a local, national, and global scale. Our generation has lots of passion regarding climate change, and with the older, more experienced population as mentors, much can be achieved. It is imperative for all age groups to work together to address environmental concerns.

School Actions Inspire Students

 Action can be seen even on a local scale. Many high schools have some form of Eco Clubs, where students who are passionate about sustainability meet to help their schools reduce their environmental impact. These clubs can help their schools effectively recycle, obtain grant money for larger projects, and inspire other students to get involved. My own high school has made great progress towards being more sustainable. In the past few years, our biggest accomplishments include switching all lights in our gymnasium to LED bulbs and tinting all of the windows to reduce the need for heating and air conditioning. Currently, we are working on a project to compost in the cafeteria during lunchtime. These actions may seem small, but their impact is extremely positive.

Many teens are also inspired in their schools after learning about climate change in the classroom. AP Environmental Science is a very popular course among my peers, and it has inspired many students to act on climate change. This class was one of the major reasons why I personally became passionate about the environment and have begun to explore a career in sustainability. The other big component that inspired my passion was a safari trip to South Africa. This was a great learning experience for me on initiatives that must be taken and why environmental action is so important.

This is Zero Hour

 In today’s day and age, many young people are inspired by the momentum of other movements, such as the #NeverAgain campaign and the Women’s March, which seems to be drawing larger and larger crowds every year. One of the most outstanding groups of youth who have been inspired to take meaningful action is united under their coalition named Zero Hour. Their founders, who are all high school students, met at a summer program at Princeton University and instantly bonded over their dissatisfaction regarding lawmaker’s current initiatives to address climate change. They were determined to do something big that adults could not ignore. Since their beginning, they have been overwhelmed by the support they have received from people of all ages as well as various nonprofits group willing to sponsor their efforts. On the rainy day of July 21, 2018, hundreds of teens marched with Zero Hour on the National Mall to express their dedication to this cause. Their force was felt around the world as many sister marches also took place spanning from Denver to Kenya. They received lots of attention from the press, including the New York Times and even Teen Vogue. Zero Hour has made it clear that this was not a one-and-done production; they intend to continue speaking out until their platform has been satisfied.

Judicial Action

 Another driven group of young people have come together under the legal body Our Children’s Trust. These individuals are suing the federal government for allegedly violating their right to life, liberty, and prosperity. Their argument is that the government’s support for the fossil fuel industry is creating a future for younger generations that will put them in far worse situations than anyone has experienced before. Their ambitious demand includes a climate recovery plan that will bring the atmosphere down to 350 parts per million of carbon. Their belief is that young people currently have the most at stake because we will be the ones to witness any effects of climate change. This platform has inspired many young people from around the country to get involved and take a stand against climate change for the good of their own, and future, generations. The most recent court decision that has been made in this case is the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ grant to the young plaintiffs’ motion to expedite briefing. This court case, Julianna v. United States, began in 2015. It has been a long journey with many obstacles, but in 2019 they are still making progress towards their goal.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog and Maggie’s further thoughts on how to engage youth in climate action.

Emerging Trends in the Transportation Sector

The transportation sector accounted for roughly 28 percent of the United States’ total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2016 and the majority of these emissions (60 percent) come from light-duty vehicles, like the car you likely drive to work every day. Given the significant share of national emissions that result from our daily driving habits and personal transportation activities, many cities and regional governments are exploring how to reduce transportation emissions through infrastructure planning and policy development. Investing in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, increasing vehicle emissions standards, and using financial tools to encourage less fuel consumption will ensure cleaner vehicles and fewer emissions. Meanwhile, planners and engineers are beginning to consider what the fabric of our cities will look like as transportation modalities shift and reliance on a personal vehicle, in urban areas at least, will hopefully diminish. We are keeping an eye on several emerging trends that are likely to shape and define how communities work towards reducing their transportation-related emissions.

Electric Vehicle Policies and Incentives

The growth of the EV market over the past few years has been slowly but steadily increasing and is expected to continue to grow more rapidly and at exponential levels in the coming years; Morgan Stanley predicts that 80 percent of vehicles sold worldwide will be electric by 2050. Based on consumer feedback, the biggest deterrents to purchasing an EV (after increased sticker price over a traditional internal combustion engine) is limited range and access to charging stations. A less-cited concern is that most EVs on the market today are smaller cars, not the SUVs and pick-up trucks that many American consumers prefer to drive. Rivian Automotive hopes to change that by releasing the first-ever fully electric pick-up truck on the market by the end of 2020 (and Tesla plans on a pick-up prototype by mid-2019). Additionally, the public sector is investing in EV infrastructure that will hopefully mitigate consumer concerns about range anxiety and increase the speed of EV adoption. The State of Colorado’s EV Plan, released in January of this year, calls for building out the network of Level 3 charging stations (Level 3 stations are those that can provide a full charge in roughly 15 minutes) across the state and working cooperatively with other states in the Intermountain West Electric Corridor (which includes the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming and focuses on the main interstates in the region) to ensure a consistent user experience at these stations.

To further support EV adoption, cities and local governments are developing policies and incentive programs that will green their own fleets and make transitioning to an EV an easy choice for the average consumer. In November, Boulder County became the first local government in the country to adopt a GoEV Resolution that supports community-wide vehicle electrification. The resolution includes commitments to electrify the County’s fleet, support broad development of charging and EV infrastructure throughout the County, work with partners to electrify taxi and ride hailing fleets, and work with the Regional Transportation District and the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley School Districts to electrify their transit and school bus fleets. New York City, Sacramento County, and other communities are also working towards transitioning their transit and school bus fleets to electric, and New York City’s three largest airports are also electrifying their diesel fleet. These organizations were encouraged by both the air quality and emissions reduction benefits of the electric vehicles, as well as the significant economic benefits of the switch. While the electric buses cost more upfront, transit operators are paying roughly 19 cents per mile to operate the EV buses, while a traditional diesel bus costs roughly 82 cents per mile. With 480,000 yellow school buses and another 65,000 public transit buses on the road currently, the potential to drastically cut emissions from these vehicles by replacing them with all-electric alternatives is significant. Of course, these emissions reductions are contingent upon the electric vehicles being charged on an electricity grid that is primarily carbon-free, which many cities are also working towards.

Vehicle Standards and Emissions Cap Programs

Many state governments are adopting or considering policies that will reduce vehicle emissions. In November 2018, Colorado became the most recent state to adopt California’s Low-Emissions Vehicle standards, joining 12 other states and the District of Columbia; this brings the share of new automobile purchases impacted by these regulations to 40 percent of the market. Colorado’s new standards will go into effect for the 2022 model year. Vehicle emissions standards have traditionally been effective in improving air quality and ensuring that vehicles become cleaner over the years, but some states are interested in how to directly target transportation emissions reductions through policy.

Nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia have collaborated through the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) to hold focus sessions and engage with hundreds of stakeholders throughout 2018, resulting in an announcement that the jurisdictions will design a regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that would reduce transportation emissions through a cap-and-invest program and other pricing mechanisms. While many of the specific details of these programs are still in the works, the member states of TCI intend the program to be one in which the use of heavily polluting fossil fuels will incur a fee; the proceeds of the program would be provided to the member states to invest in low-carbon and more resilient transportation infrastructure systems. As the imposition of a fuel fee on producers and distributors would likely be passed onto the consumer at the pump, the TCI states will conduct further analysis and invite comments from stakeholders to ensure that the burden of this policy does not negatively impact low-income populations and creates opportunities for jobs and economic growth. TCI states may also consider the design and implementation of complimentary policies regarding land use and infrastructure planning to ensure the designed programs have the greatest positive benefit in terms of emissions reductions possible.

Autonomous Vehicles, Ride Sharing, and Modality Shifts

While there is quite a bit of debate about what the urban landscapes of our future will look like and how people will travel to and through them, there is general consensus that the rise of autonomous vehicles (AVs), ride sharing, and alternative mobility options (like e-bikes and e-scooters) will fundamentally change how we move through and interact with our built environments. Given the relatively rapid transition that our transportation infrastructure is likely to experience, many communities are not prepared for the impact of AVs and modality shifts on the fabric of their urban cores—in a review of the transportation plans of the 68 most populous cities in the U.S., only 6 percent of these communities have transportation plans that address self-driving cars, and the vast majority had planning horizons for 2030 and beyond.

Most projections show that fully automated vehicles will be available to the consumer market by 2025, with on-road testing already occurring in some cities; between this and the continued increase in adoption of ride-hailing (e.g. Lyft, Uber) and ride-sharing (e.g. UberPool and LyftLine) transportation services among urban residents, cities and developers are re-thinking the urban landscape. It is clear that the way that people get around is changing, and even models of traditional personal vehicle ownership are evolving through personal car rental services like Turo (think AirBnB for your car). In some cases, cities are relaxing the parking requirements for new urban developments and architects are designing buildings with parking structures that can be easily converted to office or retail space once the need for parking is diminished. This could mean that urban land previously dedicated to parking can be redeveloped more densely once that parking isn’t needed; alternatively, the more pleasant commute in a self-driving car (as opposed to one you have to drive yourself) may mean that people will be willing to travel further for work and other activities, further increasing urban sprawl.

In addition to changing patterns of vehicle use, cities and states are trying to understand how to regulate newer multi-modal transportation options like electric scooters and bikes. These modes are gaining popularity among young people and urban dwellers specifically, and the option to use multiple modes of transportation to reach a destination (e.g. scooter to a bus stop, ride the bus, pick up a ride share to the final destination) is beginning to outweigh the benefits of personal vehicle ownership for many people. While shifting from owning a personal vehicle to ride-hailing alone will not lead to a reduction in emissions, shifting the way that people get around and specifically increasing the use of ride-sharing transit services and multi-modal options will likely lead to not only reduced transportation emissions, but also reduced road congestion. In order to increase adoption of these modes, which generally may require more effort and time on the part of the individual, cities and regional governments can work to develop carrot and stick policies that encourage more people to reduce their time in a single occupancy vehicle and discover alternative transportation options.

As transportation activities represent a huge share of global GHG emissions and therefore contribute significantly to climate change, the potential to mitigate this impact through smart policy and planning practices at the local level cannot be understated. The team at Lotus loves to explore innovative and impactful transportation policies and projects that will reduce GHG emissions with our clients, and we remain committed to providing the most up-to-date and relevant insights on policies, projects, and programs that will have a net positive impact on community emissions. Using localized data and information unique to each community we can help to develop policies and programs, model the impact of these efforts, and support the implementation of effective emissions reduction activities.

Bringing Stakeholders to the Table

When developing a climate action plan, or when embarking on any community or organizational planning process, engaging stakeholders in a meaningful way ensures that the most relevant groups and individuals are aware and supportive of your process. When done correctly, stakeholder engagement processes may reveal new opportunities for implementing impactful strategies, programs, and projects.

Use the questions below to guide the development of your stakeholder engagement plan and determine the best tools and tactics for stakeholder engagement. Throughout the process of answering these questions, keep in mind what the end result of your project will be—Are you developing a public-facing document that will guide future community planning? Are you developing internal guidelines that will help define employee policy over the coming years? Do you need stakeholder accountability for successful implementation? Knowing where you are going helps to determine the most direct and productive path to get there.

1) Why are you engaging your stakeholders?

What is the goal of stakeholder engagement? If you are developing a public-facing plan, you may want to ensure that your stakeholder engagement includes opportunities for public comment or feedback on draft plans or provides transparency into the planning process. You may want to use the stakeholder engagement process to update your organization’s leadership team on planning progress and ensure that they are able to support the elements and strategies included in the plan. Additionally, you may want to learn from stakeholders that are experts in certain sectors in order to guide the development of strategies and goals within the plan itself. Ultimately, the stakeholder process should ensure that your plan and the goals, strategies, and actions within it remain relevant to your organization or community and can be supported by your employees, leadership, partners, and the general public.

2) Who do you need to engage?

Once you are clear on what exactly it is that you want to gain from your stakeholders, you can now determine who those stakeholders are and what they each bring to the table in support of the overall planning process. Often, making a list of the key stakeholders that come to mind can be helpful; from there, you can look to a few key questions to help ensure that the list includes all the relevant players. As you develop the list of individuals and organizations whose input and feedback are crucial, ask yourself:

• Who will be impacted by our plan?

• What are the interests, values, and priorities of those impacted?

• Are there people or organizations indirectly affected by the plan that should be involved?

• What organizations and individuals are crucial to making sure the work and strategies in the plan are actually implemented?

• What organizations and individuals could hinder success if they aren’t supportive?

These questions may help you identify the individuals and organizations that are most important to involve in the development and roll-out of your climate action plan. You may notice certain trends or groupings that are logical within this list of stakeholders, and you may decide it is necessary to engage these groups differently.  

3) How should you engage your stakeholders?

Once you have identified the stakeholders that are important to include in your planning process and understand the resources available for stakeholder engagement, you can determine the most effective and impactful ways to engage each stakeholder group. Be sure to share stakeholder expectations and allow plenty of opportunity for stakeholder contribution; this ensures that continued dialogue occurs and your stakeholders remain engaged through the entire process.

Working with stakeholders can generally take either an engagement, informative, or communicative format. Stakeholders that you wish to engage are those that are crucial to the process of developing your plan, either because they are in a position to ensure the plan is supported or they may be involved in the actual work of the plan. Stakeholders that you wish to inform are those that you seek to provide information to, but you may not necessarily need information from in order to develop your plan. Stakeholders with whom you wish to communicate are those with whom it is useful to have a two-way dialogue, but whose feedback is not necessarily crucial to the plan’s success.

For each stakeholder group the first step is to define the strategic objectives and understand the resources available for facilitating dialogue, then make a plan of action that achieves the objectives within any applicable resource constraints. For example, perhaps there is a group of local experts working in the transportation field that may be able to identify opportunities to implement changes to the regional transportation system—they should be engaged in the process in order to share opportunities to support the goals within their work.  It may be relevant to complete research on each of the stakeholders’ organizations to focus the discussion and manage any cultural or organizational dynamics that may come up. At the time of the meeting, stakeholders are provided with an overview of why they have been asked to share their input, and then given plenty of opportunity for discussion and dialogue. For larger groups, breaking up into smaller teams gives more people an opportunity to offer ideas and insight. Before ending the meeting, review all of the ideas presented and give the stakeholders a chance to vote on which ideas they think are best, which their organization can support, and which they are skeptical of. If stakeholder action will be crucial to the implementation of the plan, establish a system of accountability and action steps that need to occur.

At other times, an informative approach may be more appropriate—this may be the case when presenting the planning process to the public in order to provide transparency into the development of a climate action plan. In such a case, a public meeting, community event, or open house may be an appropriate forum. Alternatively, it may be necessary to communicate the plan to the public and gather feedback on which elements of the plan they are most interested in seeing accomplished first; in this case, a community survey will allow members of the public to share their thoughts.

A planning process that does not consider the values, goals, and current opportunities and challenges within a broader community or organization is unlikely to yield the same results as a plan that has incorporated the feedback and ideas from a wide and relevant network of stakeholders. Our clients that embark on an inclusive and well-thought out stakeholder engagement process note that the strategies and targets within their plan are more likely to be successful precisely because they are supported by the broader community, whom take responsibility for ensuring that the goals are met.  

If you would like to learn more about how to engage your stakeholders, please contact us.

100% Renewable Commitments, Part 2: Key Strategies for Success

In our last blog post, we discussed the growing trend towards communities committing to 100% renewable energy, and why this is becoming a common climate action strategy. In this post we will discuss the key strategies that will allow communities that have made this commitment to see success.

The Roadmap to 100%

The strategies and steps that communities and businesses can take to commit to 100% renewable energy will inevitably vary by the geographic area, policy and regulatory environment, and flexibility in approach. There are, however, a set of established steps that are recommended to consider when starting towards this ambitious goal:

• Don’t forget about efficiency

Alongside pursuing renewable energy, it is recommended to reduce actual energy consumption as much as possible. For local communities, this may look like energy audits and retrofits in publicly-owned facilities, as well as loan and grant programs that encourage private building and home owners to make upgrades and retrofits. The impact that building codes have on efficiency should not be overlooked—where possible, setting prescriptive building standards and/or “beyond code requirements” that require new buildings, or buildings with major upgrades, to be built to a certain level of efficiency will ensure that as the community grows, its energy consumption may grow at a slower rate. While at times the upfront cost to implement energy efficiency projects can be very high, having a lean and efficient building portfolio will require less renewable energy overall to offset the energy usage. Supporting energy efficiency measures also provides secondary benefits to both communities and individual building and home owners, such as lower energy costs in the long-term. It should be noted, however, that renewable energy projects tend to have a quicker impact on emissions and climate action strategies than energy efficiency programs, which tend to take longer to implement and result in significant change.

• Begin small generation projects, and grow these over time

Communities and companies that own many physical assets, such as buildings, landfills, and parks, may have the opportunity to make productive use of these assets via roof-top and ground-mounted solar, small-scale wind, and geothermal systems. These projects may generate enough energy to offset electricity consumption for publicly-owned facilities and municipal activities. Over time, as more energy uses are transitioned to electricity (see below), these assets can expand to allow for additional power generation. However, it should be noted that though this piecemeal approach may be more politically palatable and easier to implement, small-scale renewable energy projects are generally more expensive (over the long-term) to implement than larger, utility-scale renewable energy projects.

• Transition away from non-electric fuel uses

Once the grid begins to be powered by more renewable energy, its potential to impact emissions from traditionally non-electric sources in the stationary and mobile sectors grows. By electrifying energy-consumption sectors that traditionally are not powered by electricity, we allow for the possibility that these sectors can be powered by renewable energy. Many communities that are striving towards 100% renewable energy in all sectors are considering the importance of electrifying the heating of buildings, encouraging or mandating a switch to all-electric vehicles in city fleets and for the public, and of switching other equipment as necessary to electricity. As the mix of fuels, and therefore the emissions levels, that power grids across the country can vary widely, this strategy is most effective at reducing emissions and advancing a community’s climate action strategy when they have access to a greener grid that is powered by renewable and low-carbon resources.

• Communicate and collaborate

The importance of collaborating with the local utility and wholesale power providers, with local businesses and companies that have a renewable generation goal, and with non-profit organizations that are focused on bringing renewables to market, cannot be overlooked. By engaging a variety of stakeholders in the discussion, opportunities may be presented that previously were not feasible—perhaps a closed landfill can be an ideal site for a community solar array, or a partnership with a local university and renewable generation company can allow for technological research and development while providing power to a community.

Achieving 100% renewable energy is a noble and challenging goal, and the specific approach for each community will look different. If your community or business is interested in going 100% renewable for electricity or all energy sectors, please reach out to us, as we would be happy to help you develop a plan that is tailored to be effective for your unique community and goals

100% Renewable commitments are becoming a common climate action strategy

Across the country, communities and businesses are signaling their commitment to climate action and a cleaner future by pledging to becoming 100% renewable. While their motivations are diverse, and the methods to achieving 100% renewable energy vary widely, the number of pledges continue to grow, and the effect that this will have on long-term climate impacts and emissions inventories is significant. A few of Lotus’ clients have committed or are considering committing to 100% renewable energy and this has inspired us to share some of what we have learned.

We would like to offer the following information and points of consideration for those communities and organizations that are interested in taking on this impressive commitment. This blog will be posted in two parts, where the first will provide an overview of what a 100% renewable goal means. The second post will detail what a roadmap to 100% renewable energy could look like and how your community can succeed in going 100% renewable.

What does ‘100% Renewable’ mean?

Through the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100% program, the Climate Reality Project’s 100% Committed program, and the RE100 initiative for businesses, the commitment to going 100% renewable is growing. While both the Sierra Club and the Climate Reality Project pledges are for a commitment to pursue 100% renewable energy in general, many communities see a move towards 100% renewable electricity as the first step in this process. It is important to note that the terms “100% Renewable Energy” and “100% Renewable Electricity” describe two different outcomes; and therefore, two different sets of strategies to achieve those outcomes. While the terms are often used interchangeably, “100% Renewable Electricity” refers specifically to the transition of the electricity sector to provide energy only from renewable resources (e.g. solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and battery storage). Taking this concept one step further, “100% Renewable Energy” refers to sourcing energy from all sectors from renewable resources—this includes the electricity, stationary fuel (i.e. natural gas and diesel), and transportation sectors. Many communities that have pledged to becoming 100% renewable are focusing on the electricity sector first. The Sierra Club recommends setting a goal of obtaining 100% renewable Electricity by 2035, and 100% Renewable Energy for all sectors by 2050. Further, the organization recommends including a local generation target, and focusing on collaboration with other local communities and public-private partnerships to achieve the goal.

It is further important to note that the transition to 100% renewable electricity and 100% renewable energy will be an important strategy for communities and businesses that are striving to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. While these efforts will not completely reduce emissions, the vast majority of emissions in the U.S. are a result of electricity consumption, which can be offset with renewable energy. In addition, as the electric grid becomes cleaner, stationary heating fuels (e.g. natural gas and propane) and mobile fuels (e.g. gasoline and diesel) can be replaced with electricity, further reducing building sector and transportation emissions.

By transitioning these resources to renewable energy, communities and businesses can see significant gains towards their emissions reductions targets.

Local communities are leading the way

Over 160 U.S. mayors or town/city managers have signed the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy pledge, and many other counties have made an equivalent local commitment. The factors that have led communities to make this commitment vary from energy independence and local economic development to climate commitment and action.

In Greensburg, Kansas, transitioning to 100% renewable energy was a logical step to ensure long-term community resiliency after the town was nearly leveled by a tornado in 2007. By rebuilding the town with a focus on energy efficiency, small-scale solar, wind, and geothermal the community achieved 100% renewable electricity in 2013. In return, the town has effectively harvested the wind that nearly destroyed it to rebuild itself stronger for future generations.

Larger communities are also pursuing and achieving 100% renewable goals as well: Aspen, Colorado, achieved 100% renewable electricity in 2015. By utilizing wind power, energy efficiency measures, hydro-power, a small amount of landfill gas, and small scale solar thermal, Aspen has lead the way in the transition to fully renewable electricity. For Georgetown, Texas, in the heart of oil country, the decision to commit to 100% renewable electricity stemmed from a desire to obtain long-term low-cost and low-risk energy for city municipal customers. The City-owned utility established a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) in 2008 of 30% by 2030 and in 2012 bumped that goal up to 100% when low-cost and low-risk solar and wind bids were presented that significantly beat out fossil fuel prices. In this drought-prone part of Texas, renewable energy has the added benefit that it does not require the large amounts of water for production that is typically required by traditional fossil fuels.

While some communities, like Ithaca, New York, are achieving their 100% renewable goals through the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) on the open market, others are taking a more direct approach. San Diego and San Jose are both working towards Community Choice Aggregation, whereby communities may buy and/or generate electricity for their communities by working directly with wholesale power providers. Others, like Burlington, Vermont, are encouraging energy efficiency and smart building processes while also pursuing renewable energy projects and policies. The switch to 100% renewable can save communities money as well: Burlington, which sources its power from 30% biomass woodchip burning, 20% landfill methane, wind, and solar, and 50% hydropower, anticipates that it will save $20 million over the next 20 years over the cost of traditional fossil fuels.

Overview of the Global Covenant of mayors for climate and energy

Our previous blog on the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy sparked great conversations regarding what the Covenant specifically entails and many of our municipal clients are curious to learn more. Building off these conversations, please read below to learn more about this commitment, what it will mean for your community, and the benefits of emissions tracking and climate action planning.

What is the Global Covenant of Mayors?

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy provides a framework for communities to track greenhouse gas emissions and set reduction targets, as well as develop a climate action plan to prepare for climate change mitigation and adaptation. It is the world’s largest collaboration of local municipal leaders (including cities, towns, and counties of all sizes) that are tackling climate change head-on by pledging to track and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change through mitigation and adaptation. Participating jurisdictions have access to a global network of communities from which they can learn, network, and collaborate. Further, joining the Covenant will provide your community with access to a broad set of toolkits, including access to the ClearPath GHG calculation and reporting tool through 2018. After 2018 your community has the option of joining ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability to continue to have access to this reporting tool.

Emissions tracking and climate action planning will allow your community to fully understand the impact of your operations on the climate and prepare for and adapt to our changing climate. The Covenant can be a useful tool of any local leader invested in sustainability and interested in addressing the effects of climate change.

What are the requirements of my participation?

There are four simple steps to follow:

Step 1: Register Your Commitment

Your first step to becoming involved in the Covenant of Mayors is to submit a formal letter signed by the Mayor or chief elected official that illustrates your community’s desire to track and reduce emissions and develop a climate action plan. The Covenant website provides a very useful template and guidelines for drafting this letter.

The Global Covenant of Mayors also provides the Carbonn and CDP reporting platforms for communities to easily report and track their progress. Once you have submitted your letter of commitment to one of these platforms, you will receive your official “commitment” badge to share and demonstrate your climate action leadership.

Step 2: Take Your Inventory

Within one year of registering with the Covenant of Mayors, your community must complete and report a GHG inventory that is consistent and robust—this means following the GPC guidelines for community-scale GHG inventories. The Covenant provides both the ClearPath GHG Inventory Tool and the City Inventory Reporting and Information System (CIRIS) tools to make emission calculations simple, transparent, and consistent across the globe. In the first year of your participation, the inventory need only encompass emissions generated from stationary energy use and inbound travel and transportation. At this stage, you will also identify the climate hazards and risks faced by your community—this may include environmental hazards and economic impacts from climate change, among other risks.

This inventory, as well as the climate hazards that you identify for your community, must be reported in your chosen reporting platform.

Step 3: Set Your Targets

Within the second year of committing to the Global Covenant of Mayors, you will need to update your community’s GHG inventory to include all sources and sectors of emissions, including waste. With this updated and more robust inventory completed, you can now begin developing your GHG reduction targets.

The Covenant of Mayors provides a useful tool for setting targets in the City Action for Urban Sustainability (CURB) Tool. Using inputs from the ClearPath GHG Inventory Tool, this scenario planning tool allows you to project out your GHG emissions in the coming years and develop options for creating an effective climate action plan.

Step 4: Develop Your Action Plan

You have measured your emissions, analyzed your climate hazards and risks, and created targets towards which you will strive. Congratulations—your community is now ready to develop a climate action plan! In addition to addressing how your community will mitigate climate change through reducing emissions and improving sustainability, your plan should also address how your community will adapt to the changing climate and ensure long-term community resiliency. This guiding document can serve your community for years to come as you increase your sustainability and climate resiliency and improve the quality of life for your citizens.

While the four steps to become Covenant compliant can be completed within three years, many communities find upon joining the Covenant that they are already well on their way to receiving their badge of compliance due to efforts they already have undertaken. Once compliant, you commit to continuing to report your emissions and update your targets as your progress towards your climate action goals.

Communities that are concerned about the effects of climate change, want to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and desire to plan and prepare to adapt to our changing climate may find the Global Covenant of Mayors an incredibly valuable tool and network. If you are in Colorado, you will find an additional useful resource in the Compact of Colorado Communities, which complements the Covenant of Mayors to support our local communities in reducing emissions and improving sustainability measures. The Compact of Colorado Communities is an incredible resource through which participating communities can access information sharing, networking, resources, and capacity building with other local communities that are facing similar challenges.

The Covenant of Mayors offers a framework and tools for conducting emissions inventories, setting targets, and developing a climate action plan. Communities may also pursue climate action planning and emissions inventories outside of participating in the Covenant.

If you are interested in joining the Global Covenant of Mayors, conducting a GHG emissions inventory, or developing a climate action plan for your community, but are still unsure of where to start, please reach out to us. We have a depth of experience in GHG inventories, sustainability strategy development, and climate action planning, and would be pleased to assist you in this process.

I joined a community solar program, now what?

So you have signed a contract to receive power from a community solar program. Congratulations! This is a decision that comes with great benefits to both the environment and your wallet. Now it is time to take a closer look at your monthly electric bill to make sure that you are maximizing your benefits.

Fully understand your program and your bill

Your solar energy credit will show up differently depending on who your utility provider is and what type of project you have subscribed to.

In Colorado, there are three types of incentive models for community solar: a utility bill credit, a Renewable Energy Credit, and a one-time lump sum. In the utility bill credit model, your bill will show a credit correlated to the dollar value of your share of solar production. This model is the most typical and will be the focus of this blog.

There are also two models for payment with community solar: purchasing your panels outright or paying-as-you-go for energy produced. The pay-as-you-go model is similar to your monthly cell phone plan---you will never own the panels, you will pay for their energy like a service.

If you are partaking in a pay-as-you-go plan, in addition to your monthly electric bill, you should also receive a monthly bill from your solar developer. Generally, this bill should be for a lesser sum than your utility bill credit, leading to a net savings.  If you paid for your solar array up front, you will not receive a bill from the developer.  

Ask the right questions when looking at your bill

It is important that you thoroughly examine your energy bill after you sign up for community solar. You will want to make sure your panels are producing as expected, check that you are being compensated for production, keep an eye on utility rates, and confirm that you are making the most of all incentives (both financial and environmental) offered to you. Some specific questions you will want to ask:

1.       Do my bill credits look right?

Your electricity savings will be influenced by a variety of factors (e.g. solar panel production, electricity use, base rate, and utility rates) and your utility bill costs may not be offset 100% by your solar program. Bill credits will cover a portion of your utility rate. In other words, if solar energy offsets 100% of consumption, bill credits could offset costs by 50% to 80%. While in the short term your savings will vary, over time a majority of your costs could be offset. With this in mind, it is important to keep tabs on whether your panels are under- or over-producing.

2.       Are my panels under-producing?

If your bill credits look too low you should call your utility and solar developer (your utility can help with billing issues, but the solar developer is better for production questions). If the panels are indeed under-producing, you will need to problem solve together. Most are very happy to help!

Your first step will be to figure out why the array is under-producing. Weather, panel degradation, and broken parts are all possible explanations. Once you have identified the issue, ask your solar developer what they can do to fix it. They can’t do anything about the weather but ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and repair are their responsibility. They have a budget for this that is set aside from funds used to initially build the project and/or revenue from the array.

Comprehensive insurance is also typically covered by what you have paid for your panels to cover events like theft, hail damage, or low production due to weather. Further, some contracts specifically state that the developer guarantees that they will catch any abnormalities very quickly (typically within 24 to 48 hours) and ensure that arrays are performing as expected. 

3.       Am I over-producing? If I am over-producing, am I receiving roll over credits?

When you signed up for your solar program, you were likely given the option to purchase a maximum of 120% of your average energy consumption. Thus, it is possible that your panels will produce more energy than you use in a particular month. With community solar, when you don’t use that extra 20%, you are still generating bill credits.

Your contract may guarantee that excess production “rolls over” to cloudier months when you under produce. If your contract has this clause and it doesn’t look like your production has rolled over, call your utility provider or solar developer.

Any bill credits accumulated at the end of the contract period may also simply go away. It is best to appropriately size the system so that you are not left with an excess of bill credits after the contract period is over.

If you find that you are consistently over-producing due to efficiency or a move to a new home, it is sometimes possible to resize your subscription with your solar developer or apply your subscription to an alternate location.

4.       How are utility rates changing?

The pace at which your utility rate increases from year to year can be very important in determining your savings from community solar. For most people, a high increase in electricity prices is unfavorable. For a community solar participant, an increase in electricity prices may be favorable. This is because one of the major financial incentives of community solar is that bill credits follow the rate of increase or decrease of utility rates. The higher your electricity rate is, the more bill credits you will receive and, over time, more bill credits means more savings. If your electricity rate is low, you will pay less for your electricity consumption, but you will also realize fewer bill credits and less long-term cost savings.

If you want to take a big picture look at your projected savings over time, the Clean Energy Resource Teams provides a calculator that allows you to compare price scenarios.

5.       Are there tax incentives available to me?

Federal tax credits generally go to the company that developed your community solar project, however, it is worth checking with your solar developer to be sure.

6.       Are there other financial incentives available to me?

It is also worth talking to your solar developer to ensure that you’re making use of all available financial incentives in your state, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency or your local utility can help guide your conversation.

7.       What is happening to my Renewable Energy Credits?

You may have heard of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). A REC is the legal representation of the environmental benefits of producing one Megawatt-hour of renewable energy. Typically the utility company will own the RECs (and therefore the environmental benefits) associated with community solar.

Community solar offers unique financial and environmental benefits and is simpler and more flexible than rooftop solar in many ways. Depending on the future of electricity prices and the length of the contract term, the long-term value of community solar can amount to thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. We hope this list of questions to ask while examining your energy bills under a community solar program helps you make the most of your solar program.

We are always available to help you wade through the world of community solar and RECs. Feel free to reach out anytime to our team at emily@lotussustainability.com, hillary@lotussustainabilitiy.com, or lauren@lotussustainbility.com 

AN OVERVIEW OF ENERGY OUTREACH COLORADO: A CONVERSATION WITH ANDY CALER

Environmental justice issues are a growing concern for our clients. Thankfully, Colorado has many organizations helping our low-income communities through research and education and direct action such as subsidies and assistance. We asked Andy Caler from Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) to tell us more about EOC’s work and environmental justice in Colorado.

Nearly one in four families will have trouble paying their utility bills this winter. How are utility bills and energy costs part of environmental justice and the broader definition of sustainability?

When your income is low and the availability of well-maintained affordable housing is limited, the opportunities for energy efficiency upgrades are generally substantial. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to take advantage of these opportunities when your income must be prioritized to pay for food, medical expenses, rent and other basic necessities. When you combine a less than average housing stock with limited income, you start to see utility expenses become a much higher percentage of household income with limited abilities to reduce it.

In addition, all rate-payers, regardless of their income, pay for regulated energy efficiency programs through their monthly utility bill, but low-income energy consumers don’t necessarily have the ability to participate and benefit from these programs. EOC advocates for these consumers and works with the Public Utilities Commission and individual utilities to ensure programs are available specifically for this population. Many utilities (Xcel Energy, Black Hills Energy, Atmos Energy, Colorado Natural Gas, San Miguel Power Association and Holy Cross Energy) throughout the state are very proactive about working with EOC to create low-income specific programs to reduce the high energy burden of this population.   

Why is it important to support low-income communities even if you are not low-income?

Beyond having a human interest in helping out those in need, all community members benefit from families and seniors being able to safely stay in their homes and afford their home energy. If an individual isn’t able to pay their utility bill, the utility takes on that bad debt and passes it on to other rate-payers.  If individuals are forced from their home because of increased rents and utility costs placing them further from their job, there is a negative effect on air quality and traffic congestion because of longer commutes. Living in unsafe, unhealthy conditions increases the medical needs of individuals and places a heavier burden of the health care system.  The list goes on.

One in five Coloradans are considered low-income, how does Energy Outreach Colorado reach these communities?

We have a variety of approaches. Our non-profit was founded in 1989 on our Energy Assistance Program which helps limited-income households keep their heat on by paying a portion of their past due energy bills. Since then we’ve introduced energy efficiency programs to lower energy bills in order to help address the root cause. We currently have efficiency programs to help single-family and multifamily owners and non-profits that serve the low-income population. We also administer the Crisis Intervention Program that helps individuals repair or replace a nonworking home heating system. EOC’s Impact by Numbers in FY 2015-16:

• 8,599 Colorado households received EOC energy bill payment assistance

• 4,372 affordable housing apartments were weatherized by EOC to reduce energy costs and usage

• 36 nonprofit facilities were weatherized by EOC to lower energy costs and usage and better meet the needs of low-income communities

• 1,683 low-income homes received free furnace repair or replacement through the Crisis Prevention Program

How does EOC integrate and include low-income communities in energy policy decision making?

EOC is a recognized and credible representative of low-income energy consumers in local, state and national energy policy discussions and rate cases because of our extensive knowledge and in-depth experience. We actively collaborate with other organizations serving this population to ensure low-income consumers are considered in potential policy decisions and to monitor and assess the effects.

What feedback have you heard from people that have participated in Energy Outreach Colorado programs?

Our clients are extremely appreciative of the help and support they receive. Generally, these services come at a time of extreme need and duress and often protect them from potentially unsafe conditions. We help these families and seniors avoid having to make dangerous choices between paying for basic needs like heating their home or buying food for their next meal. When a family’s furnace goes out in the middle of January, EOC can come in and repair or replace it at no cost. When an individual has a past due balance on their home energy bill and is about to get shut off, EOC can pay their debt so they can remain warm and safe in their home. It’s a nice reminder that the work being done is really helping individuals and truly impacts people’s lives.

How can our readers find any additional information or support the work of Energy Outreach Colorado?

By visiting EOC’s website http://www.energyoutreach.org, calling us directly at 303-825-8750, and signing up for our newsletter or making a donation.

 THANK YOU SO MUCH ANDY!