Climate Action Plans are the heart of a community's commitment to meeting GHG emissions reduction target. They reflect a jurisdiction's commitment to taking a series of steps and actions to reduce GHG emissions. A materials management approach broadens the menu of emission reduction options and can account for significant emissions reduction opportunities. In addition to expanding recycling and composting programs, jurisdictions can adopt upstream measures like green procurement policies and innovative source reduction programs.
Actions to reduce GHGs by materials management are first organized according to the pollution prevention or "waste" hierarchy of: reduce, reuse, recycle/compost, dispose. The most common actions involve recycling and composting strategies. However, actions that achieve source reduction often have the most significant potential for reducing GHGs. Sustainable materials management is still a relatively young field and while many downstream approaches and infrastructure exist, it is important to reinforce that often the greatest GHG emissions reductions can be found upstream. As this field matures, jurisdictions will develop and implement more upstream strategies. In order to move upstream, there needs to be more infrastructure, and sound policies and programs that support the work. Following the "waste management" hierarchy, several actions related to a broader materials management framework are provided here. Several example Climate Action Plans that include materials management strategies to varying degrees are highlighted below.
Using a materials management approach provides the opportunity to:
- Highlight and quantify the climate protection benefits of materials and solid waste management policies and programs already underway.
- Achieve faster and cheaper progress in reducing GHG. When implemented, these policies and programs often immediately include most households (or businesses), and are often more directly under the control of communities and jurisdictions than other GHG reduction strategies.
- Increase the range of opportunities to achieve GHG reductions.
Download the full report PDF with upstream actions highlighted.
Template
Climate Action Plan Template (read more)
Developed by ICLEI - Sustainability for Local Governments for Alameda County StopWaste
StopWaste is the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board operating as one public agency. StopWaste hired ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability in 2007 to create a template climate action plan that accurately describes the role that recycling, composting, and reducing waste can play in helping a city achieve its greenhouse gas reduction goals. The template is available on StopWaste’s website for anyone who wishes to develop their own local Climate Action Plan. StopWaste encourages users to modify the plan as much or as little as necessary to fit their own needs.
City & County Climate Action Plans
CAP Case #1 - San Diego, CA (read more)
February 2014 DRAFT Climate Action Plan
Materials Management Goals:
- Divert 75% of solid waste by 2020 and 90% by 2035
- Zero Waste disposal by 2040
Progress Report Highlights:
- None reported at this time.
CAP Case #2 - San Francisco, CA (read more)
Climate Action Plan for San Francisco: Local Actions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, updated 2013
Materials Management Goals:
- Increase residential and commercial recycling and composting
- Expand construction and demolition debris recycling
- Promote source reduction, reuse and other waste reduction
Progress Report:
- 80% waste diversion rate in 2010 (highest of any major city in North America)
- GHG emissions from waste sent to landfills decreased by almost half in 2013, compared to 1990 levels
- Overall reduction in GHG emissions of 14.5% between 1990 and 2010
CAP Case #3 - Alameda County, CA (Unincorporated Areas) (read more)
Alameda County (Unincorporated Areas) Community Climate Action Plan
Materials Management Goals:
- Increase solid waste reduction and diversion to 90 percent by 2030
- Develop a food waste collection program and an ordinance that requires all household and commercial food wastes and food soiled paper to be placed in organics carts
- Work with StopWaste.Org, Alameda County cities, and other organizations to urge adoption of legislation that requires extended producer responsibility and improves the recyclability of products and packaging
Progress Report Highlights:
- None reported at this time.
CAP Case #4 - Portland and Multnomah County, OR (read more)
City of Portland/Multnomah County Climate Action Plan, updated 2011
Materials Management Goals:
- Foster better consumption choices and reduce solid waste generated by 25%
- Recover 90 % of all waste generated
- Reduce the greenhouse gas impacts of the waste collection system by 40%
Progress Report Highlights:
- Total tonnage of waste declined by 8% between 2008 and 2009 (lowest level in eight years)
- Launched citywide residential food scrap collection program in 2011
- Launched “Be Resourceful” public outreach campaign focused on promoting thoughtful consumption in 2010
CAP Case #5 - City of Eugene, OR (read more)
A Community Climate and Energy Action Plan for Eugene
Materials Management Goals:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by addressing purchasing habits
- Increase waste diversion rate for organic wastes
- Reduce greenhouse gases in municipal operations by changing purchasing practices and reducing waste
Progress Report Highlights:
- Businesses began receiving curbside food waste hauling November 2011
- Purchasing staff completed the embodied emissions greenhouse gas analysis for 2010 expenditures
- The City of Eugene internal zero waste program kicked off in spring 2012
CAP Case #6 - City of Seattle, WA (read more)
Seattle Climate Action Plan (2013)
Materials Management Goals:
- 70% diversion rate from landfill to recycling and composting by 2022
- 50% reduction in methane emissions from landfill by 2020
Progress Report Highlights:
- 56.2% of all solid waste was recycled in 2013
CAP Case #7 - King County, WA (read more)
King County Strategic Climate Action Plan (2012)
Materials Management Goals:
- Increase the recycling rate to 70% by 2020
- Zero waste of resources that can be reused, resold, or recycled by 2030
Progress Report Highlights:
- Overall recycling rates remained the same as 2011 at 52 percent
- Reduced GHG emissions by more than 1.3 million metric tons of CO2e
- Waste generated per week per capita in 2012 was the same as the previous year (21.9 pounds)
- Waste disposed per week per capita decreased slightly from the previous period (13.4 pounds)
CAP Case #8 - City of Shoreline, WA (read more)
Shoreline Climate Action Plan (2013)
Materials Management Goals:
- Increase recycling and reuse to reduce solid waste sent to the landfill
- Reduce GHG emissions embodied in materials and food consumed
Progress Report Highlights:
- Adopted Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Guidelines in 2012
- Provides organics recycling at several municipal facilities
- Provides solar-powered recycling containers at some parks and bus stops
CAP Case #9 - City of Vancouver, British Columbia (read more)
Greenest City 2020 Action Plan (2009)
Materials Management Goals:
- Require all buildings constructed from 2020 onward to be carbon neutral in operations
- Reduce energy use and GHG emissions in existing buildings by 20% over 2007 levels
- Reduce total solid waste going to the landfill or incinerator by 50% from 2008 levels
Progress Report Highlights:
- 12% decrease in solid waste sent to landfill or incinerator since 2008
- A typical home built in Vancouver produces half the greenhouse gas emissions compared to one built to the Provincial building code (British Columbia)
CAP Case #10 - Fort Collins, CO (read more)
City of Fort Collins Climate Action Plan 2008
Materials Management Goals:
- 2008 plan goal: 50% diversion rate
- 2013 City Council goal: 75% diversion rate by 2020 and zero waste by 2030
Progress Report Highlights:
- Waste Reduction and Recycling Assistance Program (WRAP) began in 2012 and reached over 7,500 individuals in 2013
- Banned landfill disposal of cardboard in 2013 – cardboard-only collection increased by 94.8 % in first nine months
- Increased concrete recycling by 85 % and asphalt recycling by 24 % since 2012
CAP Case #11 – Kansas City, MO (read more)
Climate Protection Plan
Materials Management Goals:
- Develop a comprehensive solid waste management plan
- Increase and expand curbside recycling program
- Expand city government recycling and green purchasing
Progress Report Highlights:
- None available at this time.
State Climate Action Plans
CAP Case #12 - Oregon State (read more)
Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reductions 2004 and Oregon Global Warming Commission’s Interim Roadmap to 2020 (2010)
Materials Management Goals:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with materials use to meet Oregon’s 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goal
Progress Report Highlights:
- Consumption‐based GHG inventory for 2005 completed and published
- Consumption‐based inventory updated for 2010 and published
- DEQ contributed to new U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting GHG Emissions, which encourages the use of consumption‐based accounting
CAP Case #13 - Washington State (read more)
Path to a Low-Carbon Economy (2010)
Materials Management Goals:
- Increase statewide recycling rate to 80%
- Promote environmentally preferable purchasing programs in government
- Work with retailers to reduce consumer waste
Progress Report Highlights:
- 85% of agencies established recycling or resource conservation programs
- 2/3 of state agencies followed the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) guide
- 52 agencies started composting organic materials since 2005
CAP Case #14 - State of California - (read more)
Materials Management Goals:
- Achieving net-zero GHG emissions from the waste sector by mid-term (between 2020 and 2050)
- 2050 goal: Achieve a 24% reduction in direct GHG emissions from mid-term levels
Progress Report Highlights:
- Published a Scoping Plan, which focuses on six major sectors including waste, is central to developing regulations that will reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020
- Established a 75% recycling rate for California
- Established a $25 million program for CalRecycle to provide financial incentives for capital investments in composting/anaerobic digestions infrastructure and recycling manufacturing facilities that will result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions