Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Five Guiding Sustainability Principles

OnFebruary 9, 2021, the City Commission directed staff to integrate the following five principles, based on the US House of Representatives House draft Resolution 109, known as the Green New Deal, into city plans, wherever possible.

  1. To achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers;
  2. to create jobs with livable wages to ensure prosperity and economic security for all people;
  3. to invest in the infrastructure and industry to sustainably meet the challenges of the 21st century;
  4. to secure for all people for generations to come: clean air and water; climate and community resiliency; healthy food; access to nature; and a sustainable environment; and
  5. to promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historic oppression of Indigenous peoples, communities of color, migrant communities, de-industrialized communities, depopulated rural communities, the working poor, women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities, and youth.

Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

What is a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan?

There will be two elements to the plan:

  1. Climate Action, which will include strategies to reduce emissions and our community’s contribution to greenhouse gases and climate change. It will focus on high impact strategies, both short and long term for through targeted local government, commercial, industrial, and residential activities. Topics will likely include (very similar to the Climate Protection Plan): Energy, Transportation, Land Use, Materials & Waste, and Natural Resources
  2. The second element will be Climate Adaptation strategies. The two most likely climate threats include extreme temperatures, including both heat and cold, and increased precipitation (flooding). The climate adaptation portion of the plan will explore climate vulnerabilities, and develop strategies (both immediate and longer term) to prepare natural and built environments (neighborhoods, buildings, and public infrastructure) and people to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Why is a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan needed?

The climate crisis is accelerating faster than most scientists expected and requires action by all communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to protect our planet and community for future generations. Greenhouse gas emissions attributed to energy, including electricity and natural gas, and transportation, account for about 83% of emissions in the City of Lawrence  and Douglas County. The impacts of climate change in our community are already being felt. Extreme local weather events associated with climate change include severe flooding and extreme heat.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Efforts

Greenhouse gases trap heat and contribute to climate change. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.

In the City of Lawrence, we have worked steadily to document and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within city operations and from the broader Lawrence community:

  • In 2006, Mayor Boog Highberger signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
  • In 2008, Mayor Mike Dever appointed a Climate Protection Task Force which presented the first greenhouse gas emissions inventory, and recommended steps to reduce our GHG emissions.
  • In 2009, the  Climate Protection Plan was submitted to the City Commission in 2009 and outlines  greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal for the City.
  • In 2011, the Peak Oil Task Force Final Report was presented to the City Commission. The Task Force Report accounts for both a sudden crisis-related reduction of fossil fuels and a long term depletion of fossil fuels.
  • In 2012, the City updated our GHG emissions inventory(PDF, 852KB), and set new goals for reducing our climate change impacts.
  • In 2016, Lawrence received a 4-STAR rating for national excellence in sustainability.
  • In 2017, Mayor Leslie Soden signed onto a statement with hundreds of mayors expressing support for the Paris climate agreement, which aims to strengthen local, regional, and global approach to combating climate change.
  • In 2018, Mayor Stuart Boley joined over 200 mayors from across the United States to express his support for the Clean Power Plan – an essential public health protection and climate change solution that sets the first-ever federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants and helps cities transition to a clean energy economy.
  • In 2020, the City Commission adopted Ordinance 9744(PDF, 2MB), which establishes municipal and city-wide goals to achieve 100% Renewable Energy.
  • In 2021, the City Commission directed staff to integrate five sustainability principles, based on the Green New Deal, into plans and policies.
  • In 2021, Lawrence and Douglas County will engage the community in the development of a Climate Action Plan.
  • In 2023, the City Commission approved the Sustainable Capital Projects Policy(PDF, 103KB) to provide consistent procedures and standards for the sustainable management of siting, design, construction, remodeling, repair, maintenance, operations, and deconstruction of City facilities and infrastructure.
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