Management benefits accrue from proactively addressing climate change, with the goals of persuading other local government managers to get involved and of providing ideas and arguments as to why they should.

by John F. Fischbach, Fort Collins City Manager
Lucinda R. Smith, Fort Collins Environmental Planner

While greenhouse gases (GHG) play a vital role in maintaining the necessary conditions for life on Earth, rapidly increasing concentrations of these gases are causing a rise in global temperature, or climate change. During the past decade, the issue of climate change has received increased attention in scientific and political circles, as well as in the media.

With sharpening focus on this issue, local government officials have found themselves asking, "What is the appropriate role for local governments to play? What impact can local governments have on this broad, global issue of climate change? What are the risks of action or inaction?"

This article offers the perspective on how Fort Collins, Colorado, decided to tackle the issue of climate protection. Like other growing communities, Fort Collins (pop. 115,000) faces multiple demands. Transportation challenges, infrastructure needs and environmental concerns all compete for resources and attention. The City's decision to embrace climate protection was not an attempt to solve global warming but rather a deliberate effort to find ways to address multiple community needs and goals.

First, an Overview

It is helpful to begin with a brief overview of the global warming issue. Human-caused greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, is produced when fossil fuels are burned to produce energy. Deforestation also increases atmospheric carbon dioxide, through the burning or decay of vegetation as well as the removal of an important carbon dioxide sink. Methane, the second most common human-caused GHG, is generated as organic matter decays in landfills.

Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric concentrations of GHGs have increased by 30 percent. Assuming that no actions are taken to reduce emissions, computer models predict that global average temperatures will rise between 1.8 and 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.

These models suggest the consequences of global warming could be serious both for human beings and for the ecosystems that support all life on earth. Average sea levels may rise, rainfall patterns may change, agriculture may be harmed by unusual temperatures, and soil and moisture conditions and water resources may be threatened.

While unanimous agreement does not exist on the effects of increased GHGs, the mainstream scientific community does agree that global warming is taking place. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC; Web site, http://www.ipcc.ch), which was formed jointly in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environmental Program, is a group of more than 2000 leading scientists and technical experts from around the world.

IPCC' latest assessment on climate change reports that global temperatures have risen between 0.7 and 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1860, about 0.2 degrees F higher than their immediately previous evaluations. Because the balance of opinion supports the climate change theory, more and more local governments are evaluating their roles and responsibilities in this complex issue.

Fort Collins's Approach to GHG Reduction

In 1997, Fort Collins joined the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign. Sponsored by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and EPA, the campaign helps local governments achieve lower GHG levels by offering technical assistance, training, publications, marketing tools, and grants to support GHG reduction activities. Since it's inception in 1993, over 380 municipalities worldwide have joined the CCP.

As a member of the campaign, Fort Collins has conducted a GHG emissions analysis and developed a local action Plan to reduce emissions up to 30% below the worst-case levels predicted for the year 2010. The city's focus was on identifying realistic, cost-effective measures that would provide local tangible benefits. Fort Collins's commitment is voluntary, and the priority of GHG reduction will always be considered in the context of all the city's needs.

Fort Collins found several good reasons to justify the exploration of climate protection, including the chance to reduce risk, the ability of local government to influence the community's energy use, and the recognition that GHG reduction offers multiple local benefits.

Roles and Responsibilities

Here are three areas in which local governments can show responsibility.

Ability to effect change. Local governments often are the first to confront such environmental issues such as waste disposal and air and water pollution. Because local governments greatly activities in land use, transportation, building construction, waste management, and often energy supply, they can play a vital role in reducing energy use and GHG emissions. Although they cover only 2 percent of the earth's surface, localities are responsible for about 78 percent of the carbon emissions from human activities.

Risk Reduction. In a 1999 report, the American Geophysical Union warned that scientific uncertainty over the details of climate change does not justify inaction by policy makers. In fact, a rising number of governments and business around the world are taking a "prudent avoidance" stance on climate change, recognizing that the risks from a changing climate are great and may significantly hurt citizens, businesses, and local government.

In 1999, over 570 local-government elected officials joined forces to urge the federal government to make domestic GHG reduction a priority. Pointing out the risk to local governments from severe weather events predicted to accompany climate change, their joint letter cites an estimated $140 billion in property damage that has resulted from heat waves, storms, floods, and other extreme weather events in the United States between 1988 and 1997. As the letter says, "FEMA and other federal disaster funds cannot begin to cover the economic and human losses that have been caused by these weather disasters."

Leadership. Fort Collins's master plan contains a policy stating that "The city will employ strategies to increase energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources (except residential woodburning), in order to reduce the impact of the Fort Collins community on global warming." This GHG reduction initiative is one concrete way in which the city can show a policy-based commitment to environmental protection. It also sends a message to other community leaders about the importance of reducing GHGs. And because it is the city's desire to lead by example, Fort Collins's plan contains a number of internal municipal actions toward this goal.

MANAGEMENT BENEFITS

When considering climate protection, Fort Collins also considered the numerous benefits of reduction activities. It already has realized some of these benefits and expects to reap longer-term benefits in the future.

Spotlight on existing programs. As with many communities, Fort Collins began by looking at existing practices that reduce GHG emissions. One of the strongest selling points for Fort Collins's adoption of a GHG reduction plan was indeed the recognition that many existing energy efficiency and waste reduction programs have the added benefit of GHG reduction. Over half of the GHG reduction credits identified the city's plan come from the continuation of existing programs.

Key opportunities for cost-savings. Enhanced energy efficiency can mean savings money for city or county government, businesses, and citizens. Although investments in energy efficiency measures may be capital intensive at first, they have the potential to deliver significant long-term savings.

For example, communities across the county are converting their traffic signals from incandescent bulb to energy efficient LED's. While LED's cost more to purchase, they use much less energy and last longer, saving local governments millions of dollars over the long term.

Economic stimulation. Climate protection can stimulate economic development, especially in the area of green building products and services.

Increased partnership with business. The U.S. Department of Energy's Climate Wise program offers a fine opportunity for government / business partnership. Climate Wise works with businesses to identify, implement, and report GHG reduction measures that improve their bottom line.

In 1999, Fort Collins received a grant to help recruit city businesses to join the Climate Wise program and to offer technical assistance to ensure that businesses file action plans for reducing GHG emissions. Business interest has greatly exceeded initial expectations; 15 businesses have been recruited to Climate Wise this year. This effort supports City policies identified in the master plan, to develop partnerships that will improve air quality and to act as a resource that will help the community implement pollution prevention strategies.

Environmental benefits. Energy efficiency measures have the direct benefit of reducing the emissions of key air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, particualtre matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide. In 1999, the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators (STAPPA) and the Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials (ALAPCO) (web site, http://4cleanair.org) released a major report quantifying the air pollution benefits from a variety of GHG reduction activities. Fort Collins has estimated that the five largest measures identified in the city's own plan would reduce over 3,300 tons of key air pollutants in the year 2010 alone.

Increased recycling or waste reduction extends landfill space as well as reducing methane and carbon dioxide emissions. This benefit can be an important factor for a community whose landfill is nearing capacity, as is the one near Fort Collins. Other environmental benefits can be achieved from GHG reduction, like water conservation and the lowering of toxicity levels.

GHG Credit Trading and Reporting. Quantification of GHG reductions will prepare local governments for eventual emissions trading programs. Voluntary emissions reporting and trading programs exist now. The Leonardo Academy has instituted the Cleaner and Greener Program, which lets consumers, businesses, and organizations buy emissions credits to offset their emissions. Sellers of reduction credits can use the revenue for further investments in energy efficiency efforts.

The Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) also conducts a program for the voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases. Quantifying GHG reduction activities enabled Fort Collins to increase our reporting to the EIA.

Heightened competitiveness for grant funding. Numerous grant opportunities are available to local governments interested in climate protection. The Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the department of Transportation, and the FHWA all offer funding opportunities related to climate protection. Perhaps because of its stated commitment to climate protection, Fort Collins has successfully competed for two ICLEI-funded grants.

OTHER ISSUES

Additional issues that communities may wish to evaluate when exploring GHG reduction might include assessment cost, public opinion, and the role of the utilities.

Evaluating costs and benefits. In developing a prioritized list of reduction activities, Fort Collins has attempted to evaluate its return on investment for proposed actions. Although time-consuming, this semi-quantitative approach has eased councilmembers' consideration of adopting the plan, because a reasonable estimate of costs has been made up front.

Garnering public opinion. Fort Collins is fortunate to have a clear community mandate that environmental protection should be highly valued. Its master plan contains a specific policy to curb the impact of the Fort Collins community on global warming.

Some communities might turn to local or national surveys to evaluate public acceptance of climate protection. National polls indicate that such acceptance does exist. According to a recent poll conducted by the Sustainable Energy Coalition, a majority of voters (55 percent) believe that people know enough now about climate change and its causes that we should act now to reduce its impact. This past January, at the 30^th Annual World Economic Forum in Switzerland, hundreds of government and business leaders voted that climate change as the world's most pressing problem.

Boosting the role of utilities. With the impending deregulation of the electric utility industry in many states, utilities are striving to become as competitive as possible by cutting their expenses. This can mean a decrease in support for energy conservation programs or renewable energy. At the same time, the prospect of deregulation may lead utilities to diversify in order to extend their potential customer base. This can mean addition of renewable energy sources such as wind, despite any added costs.

Local leaders across the United States are recognizing the benefits of green power-energy from renewable sources. Fort Collins Utilities was the first utility provider in Colorado to offer wind power to its customers. Under a voluntary "green pricing" program, residential and commercial customers can elect to pay a premium for wind. The wind power program offers utility customers a choice, and it cuts GHG emissions.

MAKING THE DECISION

Perhaps, the key issue faced by any locality deciding whether to embrace climate protection actively is: How do you justify this move in a time of inadequate funding for all the programs and services the locality already wants and needs to provide?"

An answer lies in seeking the common ground that exists among the concerns for greenhouse gas reduction, energy efficiency, and good community planning and operation. Improving transportation options lowers local pollution, enhances energy efficiency, and reduces the amount of combustion of fossil fuels. Improved energy efficiency in businesses boosts the economic bottom line, along with helping to meet gas reduction goals.

Energy-efficient housing improves housing affordability, as well as aiding GHG reduction. Fort Collins has chosen to focus on what makes sense now in addressing community needs and goals, while also making an effort to contribute to the solution of a threatening world problem.

DON'T ENTERTAIN REGRETS

For many local governments, the debate over the likely impacts of climate change is not productive. Nobody is going to be able to prove that climate change is happening until it is too late to do anything about it. The real questions are whether or not GHG-reducing actions will provide tangible, local benefits, and whether theses benefits are worth the price tag.

In choosing to embrace climate protection, Fort Collins has gone with the no regrets approach already adopted by localities and corporations around the world, an approach that entails making economically sound choices to curb GHG emissions, thereby providing multiple benefits to the community and support for existing community goals.

Fort Collins sought solutions that would enhance energy efficiency and waste reduction without having to delve deeply into the scientific debate on climate change.