Submitted By
Mindy Agnew, Sustainability Coordinator
Agenda Item Title
Title
Review and Discuss the existing Village of Oak Park Endorsement of the Paris Agreement, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Greenest Region Compact2 (GRC2), the Chicago Climate Charter and the Global Covenant of Mayors Commitment along with related Inventory, Target and Planning work
End
Overview
Overview
As a part of the meeting, staff and Edith Makra, Director of Environmental Initiatives
Metropolitan Mayors Caucus will review the multiple organized networks of municipalities that have established sustainability groups and their related reporting inventories for Green House Gas emissions. The purpose of the discussion is to obtain consensus to direct staffs’ future planning work.
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Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
Recommendation
Staff would like consensus to proceed with a Resolution on March 19, 2018 Village Board agenda to participate in the Greenest Region 2 Compact (GRC2 Compact) and the reporting and planning parameters of the Chicago Climate Charter and the nationally established guidelines being set by the North America Climate Summit and the Global Covenant of Mayors climate leadership goals and actions.
Body
Report
The first goal of the Village’s Environmental Sustainability Objectives in the Comprehensive Plan states Village’s commitment to minimize overall energy consumption and increase investment in renewable energy sources. Village staff including Village Manager’s Office, Department Public Works and Development Customers Services staff will coordinate an updated Greenhouse Gas Inventory that reports and tracks Village-wide energy consumption to stay in line with those goals and objectives. Data from 2005 and 2007 are available and note the following electrical consumption in Oak Park:
2005 Village of Oak Park Electricity Consumption in kWh
Residential 176,718, 701
Commercial & Industrial 178,801,761
Total 355,520,462
2007 Village of Oak Park Electricity Consumption in kWh
Residential 169,993,151
Commercial & Industrial 183,707,687
Total 353,700,838
On June 19, 2017 the Village Board adopted a Resolution in Support of the Paris Agreement to achieve the principles and goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Paris Agreement brings together 197 countries under a common framework for countries to establish Nationally Determined Contributions towards greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The Global Covenant has called for member cities to set targets that contribute to the national goal to reduce emissions by 2.72 Gigatons CO2 by 2030, the equivalent of taking over 585 million cars off the road.
The Chicago Climate Charter and Global Covenant of Mayors are pledge and reporting tools at a regional and national scale that set the roadmap for municipalities like the Village of Oak Park to strengthen local efforts for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Commitments of All Mayors Under the Chicago Charter (General Provisions)
• Achieve a percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equal to or greater than our nations’ Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement in “my city”;
• Quantify, track and publically reporting my city’s emissions, consistent with standards and best practices of measurement and transparency;
• Advocate alongside other mayors for greater local authority and flexibility to develop policies and local laws that empower cities to take aggressive action on climate;
• Recognize and include in policy formation voices that have not been traditionally a part of discussions regarding climate change, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and socially and economically marginalized communities;
• Incorporate the realities of climate change and its impacts into local infrastructure and emergency planning through strategies of adaptation and resilience;
• Support strong regional, state and federal policies and partnerships, in addition to private sector initiatives, that recognize the fiscal and social costs of carbon, incentivize all actors to take climate action, and ensure a just transition for those impacted by the transition to a new economy;
• Partner with scientific and academic experts, community organizations, businesses and investors, environmental justice groups, environmental advocates, and other allies to develop holistic climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience solutions.
Our membership in the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus allows for adoption of resources like the Greenest Region Compact2 to achieve our climate action and plan. There are more than 270 members of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus throughout the state of Illinois. The GRC2 compact goals aim to collectively navigate the consensus of sustainability initiatives, and provide resources for participating municipalities to coordinate common municipal environmental protections that strengthen the resiliency planning of their communities
Alternatives
As the programs are dynamic, staff recommends continued coordination, tracking and reporting progress on a full climate action and adaptation plan.