2017-07-05 ClimateAwards2017Winners

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Honorable Mentions - Large City Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson Cleveland Climate Action Plan The Cleveland Climate Action Plan (CCAP) Toolkit and Fund provide a foundation for building thriving and healthy neighborhoods in the City of Cleveland. This work, informed by more than 50 organizations, provides opportunities for Clevelanders, now and into the future. (www sustainablecleveland. org/climate_action) Like cities across the world, Cleveland understands its responsibility for reducing GHG emissions, while also equitably preparing for climate change impacts. Over the last half -century, Cleveland's average temperature has increased by 2.4 degrees, Lake Erie averages 20 less days of freezing per year, and the city experiences 26 percent more rain that also comes down in heavier doses. These impacts exacerbate many existing challenges in Cleveland, especially for our most vulnerable residents. The main challenge in developing the CCAP was achieving consensus among the 50+ organizations participating in the plan's development, groups representing a diverse range of sectors, neighborhoods, and perspectives. Overcoming this challenge required a commitment to stakeholder involvement and priorization of actions that met various economic, environmental, and equity goals. The CCAP contains an overarching GHG reduction goal of an 80 percent reduction below 2010 emission levels by 2050. These goals will be achieved through implementation of the 33 separate actions outlined in the plan. From 2010 to 2015, while the Cleveland economy began to recover from the recession, GHG emissions from energy, transportation, and waste (excluding Industrial Process and Products Use) still fell by approximately 11 percent. Early in the action planning process, the advisory committee made it clear the CCAP cannot just sit on a shelf. Along with implementing it citywide, it was important to help residents act. The result is the Cleveland Climate Action Fund that supports resident -led, neighborhood -based projects. These projects range from school solar installations and bike share programs to urban orchards and pollinator areas. In tandem, a toolkit was developed to identify neighborhood assets and concerns, develop project ideas, and connect those ideas to climate. Plan development was funded with funds from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. The toolkit was funded by the World Wildlife Fund and Enterprise Community Partners. The Fund is supported by a variety of organizations and individuals. For all three products, the city provided significant in-kind staff time. Enhancing quality of life is at the heart of implementing the CCAP and supporting neighborhood projects through the Fund. Results include: 25 resident -led, neighborhood -based projects supported through the Fund; More than 150 home energy retrofits through the Cleveland Energy $aver program, which serves to complement the existing weatherization program; $40 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to complete the first freshwater offshore wind project in North America; More than 100 residential solar installs through the Solarize Cleveland and Countywide solar co-op programs; 46 miles of new bike infrastructure installed from 2014-2016; and Launch of the Cleveland Tree Plan, with a goal of 50,000 new trees by 2020 and increase canopy from 19 percent to 30 percent by 2040. The Sustainable Cleveland dashboard includes 28 indicators for tracking progress. (www.sustainablecleveland.org/dashboard) The City of Cleveland recently received a Partners for Places grant to update the CCAP in 2017-2018, to build off these successes and improve equitable outcomes in health, access to green jobs, and resiliency.