DECEMBER 2017

Happy Holidays from Lotus

With the end of 2017 quickly approaching, the team at Lotus is busy wrapping up several projects and looking forward to many more opportunities to support your climate action goals in 2018. Read on to learn about our upcoming report with the Colorado Energy Office on how community solar can impact low income energy burden, which communities are pursuing climate action planning, and how an energy efficiency and home weatherization program for all residents of a mountain community can be effectively implemented. As always, please contact us with any questions or to learn more!

Read our newest Lotus Blog!

And while you are at it, check out our recently re-designed website!

Lotus Blog: 100% Renewable Commitments Are Becoming a Common Climate Action Strategy
A growing number of communities and businesses are committing to move towards 100% renewable energy in the near future. What does this mean, and what are the most effective strategies for going 100% renewable energy? Contact us to learn about the first steps your community or business can take towards sustainability and climate action.

Forthcoming Report on the Colorado Energy Office's Low Income Community Solar Demonstration Project

Lotus worked with the Colorado Energy Office and the National Renewable Energy Lab to create eight detailed project case studies and the final report for the Colorado Energy Office's innovative Low-Income Community Solar Demonstration Project.

The final report is currently being completed and we anticipate that it will be available on the Colorado Energy Office website by the beginning of 2018.  In advance of the final report, the results of this demonstration project program have been shared by members of the Lotus team with audiences both regionally and nationally at the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA event) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) annual meeting in September. To view Emily Artale's presentation on this project to CESA, please go here. 

GV-HEAT:
An Energy Efficiency Program for All Residents of the Gunnison Valley

Lotus was hired in 2017 by the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority to develop and administer a suite of home energy efficiency programs for all residents of the Gunnison Valley, with an emphasis on income-qualified homes. The Gunnison Valley Home Energy Advancement Team (GV-HEAT) will officially launch in the coming months--look for more information on this program soon!   

Denver 80x50 Plan Response

Lotus facilitated the City and County of Denver's stakeholder process for the development of their 80x50 Plan--a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. As part of this effort, Denver used a survey to solicit responses from residents and folks working in the City and County to better understand the support for this work and how to prioritize these efforts.

The survey proved to be a great tool for public input, with over 1,500 individual responses collected. While the survey results are still being analyzed, you can read the full 80x50 Climate Goal: Stakeholder Report here. 

Do you have an upcoming sustainability program or project that requires the input of a wide audience of stakeholders? Contact us to discuss how we may be able to assist in making this process efficient and informative for all parties. 

Opportunities to Get Involved

The holiday season brings with it many opportunities to get together, learn from each other, and make an impact on the sustainability work that is important to us all. Lotus will be attending the following events this season, and we would love to see you there: 

• The Sustainable Denver Summit, hosted by the City and County of Denver, will be held on December 5th at the Colorado Convention Center. This fantastic event is a great opportunity to learn more about and become involved in the great sustainability work happening across our region. Emily Artale and Julia Ferguson will be in attendance--please connect with them while you are there!

• The Resilient Denver event on December 11th, hosted by Denver Environmental Health, will prove to be a great forum for discussing the elements of building healthy communities that remain strong and resilient in the face of climate change. Join Julia Ferguson at this exciting event, free to the public.

• The Colorado Communities Symposium, hosted by the State of Colorado, the Compact of Colorado Communities, and the Association of Climate Change Officers, is a three-day symposium for Colorado leaders interested in taking action on climate change. Lotus is excited to attend this event, and we look forward to meeting you there!

OCTOBER 2017

The team at Lotus has been busy over the last few months helping our clients complete comprehensive greenhouse gas inventories and develop sustainability strategies to achieve their aggressive climate action goals. Read below to learn more about these projects, our new teammate, take a survey (if you work or live in Denver), or see if you could benefit from a recycling grant. As always. please contact us with any questions or to learn more!

Denver 80x50 Climate Goal: Stakeholder Report and Public Outreach Survey

Lotus lead the City and County of Denver's 80x50 facilitation and strategy development process for their 80x50 Climate Goal Stakeholder Report. We worked with Denver and a group of expert stakeholders to identify ambitious, yet feasible, GHG emission reduction strategies to meet Denver's 80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050 plan. We also modeled these strategies for their relative impact on GHG emissions and on secondary criteria such as cost, ease of implementation, impacts on social equity and environmental justice, public health, and air quality. You can see the report by clicking here.

Alongside the report, Denver launched a public outreach effort to solicit input on potential targets and strategies to achieve Denver’s Climate Action Plan goal. Those who live and/or work in Denver are encouraged to take a survey and provide comments on the report by October 31st, 2017. Based on the 80x50 Climate Goal: Stakeholder Report and the public input, Denver will be releasing its strategies for reaching the goal. More information on the survey can be found at

Greenhouse Gas Accounting

Lotus is working with many cities and counties on their GPC compliant greenhouse gas accounting. Alongside these inventories, we have created accompanying data management tools and inventory management plans. The data management tool is designed to easily input inventory values into ICLEI's ClearPath. We have also updated past greenhouse inventories to be GPC compliant. For more information on these services click here.

Blog: Overview of Compact of Mayors
Do you have questions about the Compact of Mayors and how joining the Compact will impact and benefit your community? Check out our latest blog post, 'Overview of the Compact of Mayors,' and contact us to learn more.

Boulder Housing Partners: Behavioral Change Program Success

Lotus lead an Energy Empowerment Project where we provided Boulder Housing Partners with real-time, unit-level information about electricity use; provided residents with targeted feedback about their electricity consumption; and employed a variety of scientific approaches for motivating, engaging, and empowering residents to reduce electricity consumption. The project was specifically designed to be replicable for similar communities in BHP’s portfolio.
 
The results of the engagement program illustrate the impact that programs of this type can have on residents' energy usage. During our engagement program, Boulder Housing Partners realized the following results for the units with which we worked:

• 9.3% reduction in electricity usage

• 4.5% reduction in energy costs on their utility bills

You can see the report by clicking here.

Get Involved

There are lots of opportunities to get involved in local and regional sustainability efforts, and we strive to help you grow your impact. Consider learning more and participating in the following this month:

• The City and County of Denver is seeking input on the 80x50 Climate Goal. If you live or work in Denver, please provide your valuable insight by going to http://www.denvergov.org/80x50 and clicking on 'Take Survey.'

• The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment is now accepting applications for the Recycling Resources and Economic Opportunity Program Mini-Grants for Equipment, Supplies, and Outreach Materials. Funds up to $25,000 can be requested to support your programs and efforts. Learn more at https://colorago.gov/recycling-grants. Application deadline is October 31.

NASEO Conference

In September, Lotus staff joined teams from the Colorado Energy Office and the National Renewable Energy Lab to present findings from a forthcoming report on low-income community solar projects and their impact on utility co-ops and subscribers.

Attendees to the annual meeting of the National Association of State Energy Officials in New Orleans benefited from learning about the CEO's innovative demonstration project and how these programs may be expanded and implemented outside of Colorado. 

Introducing Julia Ferguson, PMP, MURP

We are thrilled to announce the addition of Julia Ferguson to our team. Julia started in June and has already added great value to our clients through her sustainability program implementation, urban planning, policy development, and writing skills! For more information on Julia’s background click here or you can reach her directly at Julia@lotussustainability.com. She would love to chat!

May 2017

I joined a community solar program, now what?

So you’ve signed a contract to receive power from a community solar program. Congratulations! This decision has great benefits for the environment and your wallet. Now it's time to take a closer look at your monthly electric bill to make sure that you’re maximizing your benefits.

Read More

New Projects

Lotus began a few exciting new projects this month. Greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting seems to be the theme of the season for us with new projects with Boulder County and City of Boulder.

Boulder County Emissions Reduction

Lotus is working with Boulder County to complete their 2016 GHG inventory and analyze the GHG reduction potential of a number of mitigation strategies to help set a realistic, impactful GHG reduction target for 2035 and 2050.  

City of Boulder GHG

Lotus was selected to update the City of Boulder's GHG inventory. Boulder has emissions reduction goals set for 2030 and 2050. We look forward to helping them continue to succeed.

Other News

Kudos to the HRCA!

Congratulations to the Highlands Ranch Community Association (HRCA) for moving forward with their new community solar garden! Read more in the Highlands Ranch Herald.

JANUARY 2017

As part of our continuing sustainability blog series, we are happy to announce our new blog titled An Overview of Energy Outreach Colorado: A Conversation with Andy Caler. Environmental Justice issues are a top priority for many of our clients; therefore we were thrilled to ask Andy Caler a few questions about his work. We hope that you find our blog valuable and will share it with your friends and colleagues. 

Recently we have been busy with some great projects: 

• We are helping the City and County of Denver facilitate and develop their 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 climate plan.

• In partnership with ICLEI, we have conducted GPC-compliant greenhouse gas inventories for the Cities of Lakewood and Boulder as part of the Compact of Mayor's requirements.

• We continue to evaluate community solar garden projects including a review for Highlands Ranch Community Association and evaluating multiple low-income community solar demonstration projects with GRID Alternatives and NREL for the Colorado Energy Office.

• We also continue to work with Boulder Housing Partners on an energy empowerment project that will reduce residents electricity use through behavioral change.

JULY 2016

As part of our continuing sustainability blog series, we are happy to announce our new blog titled Finding Regional Consistency in GHG Accounting: The Compact of Mayors Agreement and the GPC. We hope that you find our blog valuable and will share it with your friends and colleagues. 

We have recently been involved in some great projects:

• Helping Boulder Housing Partners reach their goal of becoming the nation's first net-zero energy housing authority.

• Developing and managing an RFP process for the upcoming Colorado Energy Futures Study for the Alliance Center.

• Preparing Energy Performance Contracting outreach case studies for the Colorado Energy Office and Pollution Prevention outreach case studies for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment.

• In partnership with ICLEI, we are creating a 2015 GPC-compliant greenhouse gas inventory with accompanying data management tool and inventory management plan for the City of Lakewood.

As many of you may be aware Emily’s 7-year tenure as a Colorado Energy Office EPC consultant will be coming to an end August 31st. We will now have more time to grow our other services and continue to find innovative and world-changing projects!

MAY 3, 2016

Greetings friends and colleagues, 

Last week, Lotus was fortunate to speak with Paul Scharfenberger, the Director of Finance and Operations at the Colorado Energy Office, about the new financing tool being rolled out called Colorado’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (“Colorado C-PACE”).  Since many of our clients are interested in C-PACE, we were thrilled to ask him a few questions in our latest blog: An Overview of Colorado C-PACE: A Conversation with Paul Scharfenberger.  

We have recently been involved in some great projects:

• We have completed numerous GHG inventories for public and private sector clients using The Climate Registry and Global Protocol for Community-Scale GHG Emission (GPC) protocols.

• We helped the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) better understand how the Community Solar Gardens Act low-income carve out is being achieved. The report is now available on the CEO website.

• We continue to support the CEO's and the Missouri Department of Economic Development's Energy Performance Contracting programs.

• We are working with Boulder Housing Partners to roll out an energy empowerment project that will reduce energy use through behavioral change.

• We continue to partner with CLEER to investigate community solar projects and with CORE to support the development of GHG inventories on numerous projects throughout the Western slope.

Best,

Hillary and Emily

December 7, 2015

New business certification and a new journal article! Plus, we are helping Cities achieve international recognition for their sustainability efforts.

Greetings friends and colleagues,

We hope everyone is enjoying the beginnings of the holiday season. Here is some recent news from Lotus Engineering and Sustainability:

Lotus is now a DBE, SBE, M/WBE, and EBE certified company.

• Lotus's work helped the City of Lakewood be selected for the Cities100 publication! The Cities100 publication highlights 100 solutions that cities across the world are doing to take action on climate change on a global scale. Lotus was asked by the City of Lakewood to create emission calculators to help design appropriate, measurable, and achievable climate change strategies. This work is highlighted as one of the top strategies! You can read the report by clicking here (see page 80).

• Look for our article in the next edition of the award-winning Natural Gas and Electricity Journal titled Community Solar Presents Rewards and Risks. Please contact us directly if you would like a copy of the article.

As part of our continuing sustainability blog series, we are happy to announce our new blog titled Low-Income Solar Success Stories. We hope that you find our blog valuable and will share it with your friends and colleagues.   

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Lotus's work helps City of Lakewood be selected for the Cities100 publication.

The Cities100 publication highlights 100 solutions that cities across the world are doing to take action on climate change on a global scale.  Lotus was asked by the City of Lakewood to create emission calculators to help design appropriate, measurable, and achievable climate change strategies. This work is highlighted as one of the top strategies! You can read the report by clicking here (see page 80).

NOVEMBER 5, 2015

Lotus Engineering and Sustainability is now a DBE, SBE, M/WBE, and EBE certified company. 

We are pleased to announced that Lotus has been approved for certification in four programs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Small Business Enterprise, Minority/Women Business Enterprise, and Emerging Business Enterprise) through the City and County of Denver. 

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

New projects, a new move, and a new business certification!

Greetings friends and colleagues,

We hope everyone has had a great summer and is enjoying the beginnings of fall. Here is some recent Lotus Engineering and Sustainability news:

We are happy to announce that we have signed a contract with the Colorado Energy Office to complete an evaluation that will provide greater insight into how well Colorado community solar garden subscribers are complying with the low-income carve-out rule outlined in House Bill 10-1432 and also help identify barriers, opportunities, and best practices for increasing low-income access to shared solar.

• Emily has officially moved to Crested Butte. Besides living in one of the most beautiful places in Colorado (the world?), Emily is now able to better serve our Western Slope clients.

• Look for our upcoming article in the next edition of the award-winning Natural Gas and Electricity Journal tentatively titled Community Solar Rewards and Risks.

• We are also currently working on our Women Owned Business certifications through the Small Business Administration and Denver's Office of Economic Development.

As part of our continuing sustainability blog series, we are happy to announce our new blog titled Finding Money. We hope that you find our blog valuable and will share it with your friends and colleagues.   

AUGUST 11, 2015

Lotus Engineering and Sustainability and Merrill Group are joining forces!

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

It has been a very busy summer for Lotus Engineering and Sustainability and Merrill Group. We have partnered on great projects for the City of Lakewood, CLEER, and the Colorado Energy Office on a range of topics including energy efficiency and renewable energy finance, energy performance contracting, solar gardens, and sustainability goal planning.  

Through these projects and through the many years we (Emily and Hillary) have worked together it became clear that it made sense for us to join forces in a more official capacity. As such, Merrill Group is merging with Lotus. Our complimentary skillsets allow us to bring additional expertise to our clients in a more streamlined fashion. Together we are able to help clients look at their environmental and social initiatives from various perspectives including public relations, financial, political, and engineering. In return, we are able to take complicated problems, analyze various solutions and strategies, and provide clients with defensible and effective next steps.

Best,

Emily Artale, Co-Owner and Principal Engineer at Lotus

Hillary Dobos, Co-Owner and Principal at Lotus

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

Welcome to 2015! The end of 2014 proved to be a very busy time for us and we have some exciting news to share! 

Lotus recently developed customized calculators to determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction potentials which will support the City of Lakewood’s 2015 DRAFT Sustainability Plan. The reduction estimates will be used to help vet sustainability strategies and to help the City set GHG emission target values. Emily Artale flew to San Diego, CA to present The Risks and Rewards of Community Solar on a NREL panel for the 2015 Energy, Utility, and Environment Conference. This presentation provided recommendations to organizations that are considering developing their own community solar offerings. Emily will also be participating on NREL’s upcoming working group on community solar titled Marketing to Community Solar Participation: The State’s Role in Reducing in Risk. This working group will help inform state agencies and municipalities on how to market community solar to potential subscribers and prepare them for risk. 

Merrill Group provided due diligence and request for proposal support for several clients, as well as helped review several documents including a document for the Rocky Mountain Institute titled "The Path to a Deep Energy Retrofit using an Energy Savings Performance Contract”. 

Hillary Dobos also gave birth to her second son, Rodger, in December and has enjoyed her maternity leave.

As we enter this new year we hope to continue engaging with our clients by providing data and information that helps inform and simplify the decision-making process. And we would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact us to discuss your energy and sustainability needs and visit our websites at http://www.merrillgroupllc.com/ and www.lotussustainability.com

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.