Objective:
Eugene’s City Council unanimously voted to develop a Community and Energy Action Plan (CEAP) in 2008, under which all city operations and facilities would achieve carbon-neutrality by 2020. The CEAP advisory team was assembled in May 2009 and was composed of 11 community members and representatives of partner agencies.
In 2009, the City Council set community-wide goals to reduced fossil fuel consumption by 50% no later than 2030. An Advisory Council of 11 community members and representatives from partnering agencies were appointed in 2009 to facilitate development of the CEAP.
Description:
They employed a robust public engagement process that included discreet public workshops for each of 6 target categories:
- Buildings and Energy
- Food and Agriculture
- Land Use and Transportation
- Consumption and Waste
- Health and Social Services
- Urban Natural Resources;
Specifically, the CEAP goals are to:
- Reduce community-wide GHG to 10% under 1990 levels by 2020, and 75% below 1990 levels by 2050 (consistent with the State’s GHG emissions reduction goals)
- Reduce community-wide fossil fuel use by 50% by 2030; and
- Identify strategies for adaptation to changing climate and fossil fuel prices.
The City allocated one-time funding of $200,000 to the FY 2011 for implementation of both the CEAP and the City’s Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan. This funding is in addition to budget allocations for standards already employed across the municipal organization for Solid Waste management (goal to reduce municipal solid waste by 90% by 2030), the Green Building Program, and other programs including stormwater Management, Food Security Plan and Urban Forestry Master Plans.
Reason:
The City of Eugene has always been seen as being environmental stewards and leaders. They have recognized their impact as a City can impact the planet as a whole. They have decided to utilize GHG Inventory data drawn from the METRO Portland study, which allocated emissions 25% to transportation; 48% to the production, manufacture, and distribution of goods and food; and the remaining 27% is attributed to residential, commercial and industrial consumption of natural gas and electricity.
Results:
The first target of 10% GHG emissions under 1990 is set for 2020. It seems too early to determine if they have received any results.