Appendices

Overview

Concluding Remarks

Clearwater’s most important assets are its people.

Residents, visitors, business owners, and city staff - each have a role to play in making Clearwater a thriving sustainable community for all.

On our journey towards sustainability, we will each learn about and experience new technologies, world events, and perspectives. Changes will happen and our community must remain adaptable and innovative. The Clearwater Greenprint 2.0 is a living document, intended to grow and change to meet the needs of the city as a whole. The city is committed to monitoring Strategy progress and updating the plan to reflect advancements and additions, but it will need your help to succeed. 

How to make an impact:

1. VISIT OUR WEBSITE, myclearwater.com/sustainability, to find additional resources to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
2. STAY INFORMED and sign up to be notified of news and events by joining the city’s email list.
3. SHOW UP to city meetings and events. Participating in City Council meeting or learning more at a city-sponsored educational event can greatly support the city’s sustainability efforts.
4. SIGN UP to volunteer with a local non-profit organization or to join a city clean-up event.
5. START A CONVERSATION about sustainability with your family and friends. Increasing the awareness in our community is one of the greatest things we can do to make a difference.

Appendix I. Strategies No Longer Included

Waste Reduction – Pay-As-You-Throw

A Pay-As-You-Throw program was considered by the Solid Waste/Recycling department to reduce the amount of material sent to the Pinellas County Waste-to-Energy facility and landfill. It was decided that a more effective method of reducing waste would be to implement a single-stream recycling program. This decreased the need to collect garbage from twice a week to once a week. The city has seen 20% reduction in trash production since the program was introduced.

Commercial Recycling

Since the first edition of Clearwater Greenprint in 2011, the city of Clearwater’s Solid Waste and Recycling Department has provided education to commercial businesses in the forms of waste audits, educational posters, and presentations. This Clearwater Greenprint also suggested that the city should propose an ordinance to mandate recycling by commercial establishments. However, the global recycling market is vastly different than it was 10 years ago and mandating commercial recycling is not feasible for the city at this time. To re-establish robust and secure recycling programs, the city is focusing on improving the quality of its residential and commercial recycling programs rather than solely the quantity of materials at this time.

Appendix II. Implementation & Measurement Methodologies

Purpose

This appendix presents Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for tracking progress on Strategies.  It also details other technical information gathered and used throughout the report alongside assumptions made in the measurement of Clearwater Greenprint 2.0 Strategies. Each Strategy’s Implementation and Measurement Methodologies is assigned a timeframe for completion based on the section 3, Target Timelines.

Assumptions

During the creation of Clearwater Greenprint 2.0, Clearwater staff serving on the Sustainability and Resilience Committee were asked to fill out a short survey to better understand the city’s priorities and capacities for improving Clearwater’s response to climate change in the next 30 years. 

The survey consisted of the following questions:

Staff’s responses to these questions are summarized in Table II.1 and Figure II.1 below. Staff’s input and budget documentation were used to estimate the costs and benefits of strategies based on their Core Topics. 

The Implementation and Implementation and Measurement Methodologies contained in this report are based on the following overarching assumptions:

In addition to the foregoing assumptions and limitations, Implementation and Measurement Methodologies outlined in all Core Topics may necessitate legal review which should occur prior to any budgetary appropriations, applications for grant funding, or any similar expenditure associated with the recommendations set forth in this document.  To ensure the health and safety of city staff and attendees, all activities involving gatherings of people described in this document will abide by pertinent health advisories in effect in addition to applicable state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations.

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for Education and Awareness Core Topic Strategies.  Categorization of the relative cost and benefit of the Education and Awareness Core Topic Strategies is provided in

Figure II.2. Administrative and Social Strategies.  Strategies in this graphic represent a grouping of Strategies considered to be within similar range of cost to implement.  In addition to Education and Awareness, the graphic includes strategies from Green Energy and Buildings, Livability, Local Food, and Green Economy. 

Strategies within the Education and Awareness Core Topic are largely limited by budgetary allocation and staff hours and consist of programming and data management.  The proposed strategies assume the city of Clearwater’s willingness to establish programs, create and maintain databases, launch information collection campaigns, and take other necessary measures to implement the actions described in this section.  Feasibility of implementation would be established after budget and hour allocation is determined by staff.  Once this occurs, metrics such as number of attendees, number of registrants, attendee demographics, number of downloads, clicks, or website traffic may be used to gauge the success of activities.

A. Promote education through publications and public events

B. Provide pertinent local GIS and other data online

A. Develop new events that engage the community in sustainability through fun and innovative activities

A. Continue youth education programs to educate students about resource conservation

A. Organize ongoing educational workshops and presentations to keep staff and elected officials up to date on sustainability initiatives and opportunities

B. Integrate sustainable practices into daily operations and serve as ambassadors and educators about city sustainability programs and projects in daily interactions with the public

A. Continuously measure, evaluate, and address both mitigation and adaptation progress in accordance with ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, USA Five Milestones for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation

A. Form a Resilience Committee comprised of city staff and community partners

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies Green Energy and Building Core Topic Strategies.  Refer to Figure II.2.- Administrative and Social Strategies for the categorization of the relative cost and benefit of each Green Energy and Buildings Core Topic Strategy. The Green Energy and Buildings Implementation and Measurement Methodologies pivots on several assumptions, mainly that the approval process for each project is informed by its financial feasibility (“project pro-forma”) as well as fiscal impact analyses under two conditions: one with the proposed climate change mitigation measure and one without.  Furthermore, it is assumed that prior to undertaking other actions, the city of Clearwater will first conduct an inventory of municipal buildings and assess their conditions, and that the city has agency to make improvements to the municipal buildings they seek to retrofit. Additionally, following completion of the building inventory, the city will set targets for retrofits or new construction and assign specific costs.

Costs and subsequent budgetary appropriations may be based on a wide variety of metrics including the following publicly available data sources:

A. Partner with public and private organizations to establish an energy finance program

A. Develop and implement a program that performs comprehensive energy evaluations, recommends conservation practices and upgrades, provides basic information on financing options, and measures the environmental and economic benefits after implementation

Track historic usage and set future consumption targets.

A. Implement a “feebate” program

A. Encourage and assist developers in incorporating green building practices and standards into their design, construction, maintenance, and operations plans

B. Encourage the use of national building performance standards

A. Continued offering of programs by Clearwater Gas System to increase the number of residents and businesses using natural gas to power appliances

A. Request proposals from private companies to design, build, install and operate small-scale energy generation facilities that can utilize available resources to generate electricity and/or heat

A. Preparation of a marketing and outreach campaign challenging property owners to install renewable energy technologies

B. Support code changes that remove obstacles to installing renewable energy systems

C. Provide information to assist residents with purchasing renewable energy equipment

D. Include information about local, state, and federal incentives, economic and environmental benefits, contact information for local contractors, financing options

E. Create a website that allows the Clearwater community to submit property information and view addresses where renewable energy systems have been installed

A. Investigate financing mechanisms for expanding renewable energy generation

A. Request conversion of all Duke Energy-owned electric streetlights to LED

A. Partner with a third-party company to create an energy savings program including staff training and web-based energy consumption tracking, and benchmarking for municipal buildings

B. Develop a formal energy management policy for city buildings and operations

A. Establish a re-commissioning plan to inspect, test, and make proper adjustments at regularly scheduled intervals to optimize the performance of its buildings and equipment

B. Create an LED lightbulb conversion program for city buildings

C. Train key staff that do not have the appropriate skills to test the equipment

D. Identify any environmentally harmful refrigerants in its operations and phase them out as part of its re-commissioning process (see Green Energy and Buildings Strategy #11)

A. Build all new municipal facilities to a nationally recognized high-level performance standard (e.g., Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Florida Green Building Coalition, and Energy Star)

A. Existing and new infrastructure complies with comprehensive resilience guidelines and the recommendations provided by the Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Coalition

B. Prioritize resilience upgrades in capital and operational budgets

C. Create educational materials and events for the public to improve the adaptive capacity of their own buildings, structures, and properties.

D. Explore grant opportunities for municipal photovoltaic and energy storage for critical building infrastructure (e.g., emergency shelters, schools, cooling centers, and nursing or assisted-living homes) to protect vulnerable populations and reduce GHG emissions

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for Transportation Core Topic Strategies.  Categorization of the relative cost and benefit of the Transportation Core Topic Strategies is provided in Figure II.3.- Transportation Strategies.  For Implementation and Measurement Methodologies in this Core Topic it is assumed that sufficient permissions to alter county, state, and federal roads will be attained from the appropriate governing agencies and that work carried out will be consistent with other governing documents, including the city’s existing Complete Streets Plan.  Major limitations to implementation of Strategies within this Core Topic are eliciting widespread behavioral change for use of alternative modes of transportation to achieve Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) reduction targets, and anticipated major structural changes, including adoption of electric vehicles, remote work, or autonomous vehicles.   These changes affect the goals identified by Clearwater Greenprint 2.0 in many ways, including by reducing gas tax revenue used for roadway infrastructure improvements, and changing the metrics (e.g., VMT) by which greenhouse gas emissions are typically measured.

7.1  Vehicle Mile Reduction (Short-Term)

A. Launch a VMT reduction campaign

B. Reduce city-wide VMT by 10%

C. Launch an internal VMT reduction program for employees

B. Collaborate with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) to improve bus scheduling

C. Explore and encourage alternative forms of public transportation (e.g., Bus Rapid Transit, carpool, car share, bike share, scooter share, and ferry services)

A. Support construction of infrastructure for low-to-zero emission vehicles

B. Continue to install public EV charging stations

C. Change the Community Development Code to require charging stations for electric vehicles for new development and adopt “EV ready” policies

D. Host a minimum of one event per year at which the public is encouraged to try an electric vehicle

E. Partner with an organization such as the Sierra Club or Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to create an event that encourages residents and businesses to shift to hybrid electric vehicles

A. Adopt a Green Fleet Policy to govern use and procurement of fleet vehicles

B. Investigate financing mechanisms to offset cost of fleet conversion (e.g., vehicle leasing and federal tax credit)

C. Increase the share of municipal light-duty vehicles running on alternative fuels

A. Manage traffic congestion by considering alternative intersection designs

B. Continue to include roundabouts in new road construction projects

C. Consider use of other congestion management practices

A. Increase the alternative work schedule and telecommuting opportunities available to city workforce

B. Encourage virtual meetings in lieu of in-person meetings requiring travel by automobile whenever possible

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for Livability Core Topic Strategies.  Categorization of the relative cost and benefit of the Livability Core Topic Strategies is provided in Figure II.2.- Administrative and Social Strategies.  Similar to the Green Energy and Buildings Core Topic area, Strategies within the Livability Core Topic area pivot on the assumption that the approval process for each project is informed by its financial feasibility (“project pro-forma”) as well as fiscal impact analyses under two conditions: one with the proposed climate change mitigation measure and one without.  In addition to this, it is also assumed that the city will measure equity and inclusion. 

Though this consideration applies to all Strategies within the Clearwater Greenprint 2.0, issues of equity and inclusion are particularly relevant for those of the Livability Core Topic area.  This is because most of the area’s Strategies involve improvements that typically occur in small geographic areas (e.g., new construction and building retrofits) and are likely to affect historically under-resourced populations.  To measure equity, the city will define measures that quantify the qualitative aspects of livability.  To this end, factors such as aesthetics, and emotion may be monitored by way of routine survey of the city’s stakeholders (e.g., residents, workers, and business-owners).  Surveys may ask stakeholders to rate their levels of satisfaction with city services, or the physical condition of the built environment.

A. Continue to provide for mixed-use development in livable, transit-oriented neighborhoods

B. Improve regulation, investment, and incentives that will fulfill residents’ household and transportation needs

A. Encourage restoration and reuse of buildings as an alternative to demolition

B. Maintain the historic designation process to ensure that historically significant properties and neighborhoods remain stable, well-maintained, and available for long-term use

C. Continue to implement a brownfield program and identify incentives such as tax credits for brownfield and greyfield development

D. Consider partnership with an educational institution or non-profit organization to demonstrate the benefits of compost in a pilot program or through a publication

A. Continue to create a self-sustaining community and local economy to reduce VMT and increase accessibility

A. Support and expand the community’s capacity to manage, develop, and enhance greenspace for natural habitat, recreation, gardening, and outdoor education activities

A. Continue to host an annual tree giveaway

B. Develop a program to educate community members on the benefits of planting trees and recognize residents and businesses that participate

C. Assess current tree canopy and set an increased canopy goal based on assessment results

D. Create an implementation plan to increase tree canopy coverage

E. Require mitigation for consumption of natural habitat or resources

F. Enact and enforce a tree preservation or land-clearing ordinance

G. Pilot a forest carbon sequestration project on municipal land which will sequester carbon to offset a portion of the community’s annual GHG emissions

A. Become a certified community under National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Habitat Program

B. Enact a sea turtle ordinance

C. Create an endangered lands conservation/purchasing program

D. Promote eco-literacy

A. Create an IPM plan address invasive species and problematic insects at city-owned properties

B. Provide the public with educational materials concerning invasive species identification and IPM best practices

C. Consider partnership with an educational institution (e.g., Saint Petersburg College of the University of South Florida) to develop of an IPM plan and subsequent educational outreach

A. Develop street design standards that maximize energy efficiency and minimize heat

A. Explore options for preventing excessive levels of pollution and mitigate environmental and other impacts such as noise, odor, and traffic in low-income communities and communities of color

B. Include potential environmental and public health impacts of land use decisions into planning and zoning activities

C. Prioritize affordable housing for historically displaced groups to prevent green gentrification

D. Consider measures to ensure that rent in improved neighborhoods remains affordable and savings from energy efficiency improvements are passed on to tenants

E. Assess current city zoning and land-use policies to determine where environmental justice criteria can be incorporated

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for the Water Conservation Core Topic Strategies.  Categorization of the relative cost and benefit of the Water Conservation Core Topic Strategies is provided in Figure II.4.- Water Conservation and Waste Reduction Strategies. For Implementation and Measurement Methodologies in this Core Topic it is assumed that sufficient permissions to alter water utility infrastructure have been obtained from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) or other regulating entity.  Any improvements are presumed to be based on gathered data as well as the project pro-forma and fiscal impact analysis. 

A. Continue to encourage water conservation in homes, businesses and industries

B. Continue to consider changes to water use regulations and fees on an annual basis

C. Encourage residents and businesses to adopt water conservation standards such as Florida Water Star for existing and new construction

D. Consider developing year-round water restrictions that are more stringent than Southwest Florida Water Management District restrictions

9.2 Waterwise Landscapes (Short-Term)

A. Use code-based incentives (e.g., accelerated site plan review time) to encourage community members to create landscapes at the same time as new development or redevelopment that integrate water saving measures

B. Promote and facilitate neighborhood-based projects that train residents on Florida-Friendly landscaping practices

C. Partner with neighborhoods and local organizations to recognize existing Florida-Friendly yards and highlight effective and affordable xeriscaping techniques

B. Create guidance for private property owners to develop and implement rainwater collection plans

C. Increase awareness of co-benefits of low-impact development

D. Consider installations that capture, retain and treat stormwater runoff from parking lots, driveways and roads

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for the Waste Reduction Core Topic Strategies.  Categorization of the relative cost and benefit of the Waste Reduction Core Topic Strategies is provided in Figure II.4.- Water Conservation and Waste Reduction Strategies.  For Implementation and Measurement Methodologies in this Core Topic, it is assumed that sufficient permissions to establish or alter recycling and waste disposal service agreements have been obtained from pertinent regulating entities.  Any improvements are presumed to be based on gathered data as well as the project pro-forma and fiscal impact analysis. 

A. Continue to offer yard waste collection to residents, encourage more households to participate, and investigate opportunities for collection of other organic waste such as food waste for composting

A. Continue to offer recycling services to residents and businesses

A. Develop a pilot composting program to divert food scraps from landfills and demonstrate the viability of a city-wide program

A. Organize an annual community event for swapping reusable goods to divert reusable goods from the solid waste stream

A. Adopt formal waste reduction policy and goals that address ocean-friendly recycling and printing practices

B. Consider development of standards for events held on municipal sites to reduce waste generation, consumption of single-use plastics, and increase recycling by thousands of eventgoers per year

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for the Local Food Topic area Strategies.  Refer to Figure II.2.- Administrative and Social Strategies for the categorization of the relative cost and benefit of each Green Energy and Buildings Core Topic Strategy. The Local Food Implementation and Measurement Methodologies assume that the approval process for each project is informed by the project pro-forma as well as fiscal impact analysis. Similar to the Livability Core Topic area, measurement of equity is a primary consideration of this topic area.  To this end, measurement of access to quality local food is assumed.  Access may be measured through a variety of means, and data on the subject may be obtained from the following public and open-source data sources:

A. Organize and facilitate a task force to assist in developing and implementing recommendations for expanding local food production

B. Develop partnerships among non-profits, ministries, neighborhood associations, and private interests to increase local food production and commerce, funding opportunities, and pooling of resources

C. Leverage partnerships to obtain grant funding for planning and project start-up activities

A. Define “local” in the context of food production and the community’s needs

B. Develop a “foodshed program”, “Buy Fresh Buy Local”, in collaboration with regional partners to increase availability of local foods

A. Conduct an inventory of public and semi-public lands that would be suitable for food production for the purpose of identifying sites for food production pilot projects

B. Amend the Community Development Code to allow and support community gardens and other forms of urban agriculture

A. Create a Community Garden Grant Program

A. Encourage staff and residents to eat a plant-rich meal at least once a week

B. Integrate climate-friendly food procurement guidelines into the Green Procurement Policy

C. Consider a resolution in support of “Meatless Mondays”

The following section provides the Implementation and Measurement Methodologies for the Green Economy Core Topic area Strategies.  Refer to Figure II.2.- Administrative and Social Strategies for the categorization of the relative cost and benefit of each Green Economy Core Topic Strategy. The Green Economy Implementation and Measurement Methodologies assume that the approval process for each project is informed by the project pro-forma as well as fiscal impact analysis. It should be noted that prior to commencement of work, a formal definition of “green jobs” should be established by staff; in the process, a distinction should be made between “green jobs” and “green industry.” Actions to promote green jobs should be based on a database generated based on staff’s definition. 

A. Develop a database of green businesses and the number and types of green jobs within the city

B. Establish criteria for classifying green businesses and jobs, allowing for flexibility as new developments in green industry and business practices arise

A. Recognize businesses that have received LEED, FGBC, Florida Green Lodging Program, and Ocean Friendly certifications on the city website

A. Become a member of Florida Local Environmental Resource Agencies (FLERA)

B. Connect unemployed and underemployed people to local green job opportunities

C. Partner with existing institutions and organizations like St. Petersburg College and CareerSource Pinellas to offer workforce training programs in green job skills

A. Partner with tourism-based businesses and other local tourism agencies to create a green guide that promotes local businesses that commit to green practices

B. Increase participation in green business designation programs by the hospitality industry (e.g., the Florida Green Lodging Program)

A. Continue to partner with local and regional organizations and focus on devising new strategies to attract green businesses to the area

B. Leverage economic development centers to spur local economic development in the green business sector

A. Develop a municipal GRF to fund sustainable projects and uphold cost-effective services

A. Develop a “Green Purchasing Policy” to encourage the purchase of environmentally preferable products that mitigate the city’s environmental impact

B. Create procedures to help departments make the most sustainable purchases possible

Appendix III. Climate Change Science

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Fifth Assessment Report affirms that “warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level.”[i] Researchers have made progress in their understanding of how the Earth’s climate is changing in space and time through improvements and extensions of numerous datasets and data analyses, broader geographical coverage, better understanding of uncertainties and a wider variety of measurements.[ii] These refinements expand upon the findings of previous IPCC Assessments – today, observational evidence from all continents and most oceans shows that “regional changes in temperature have had discernible impacts on physical and biological systems.”

The Fifth Assessment asserts that “it is extremely likely that more than half of the observed increase in global average surface temperature from 1951 to 2010 was caused by the anthropogenic increase in GHG concentrations and other anthropogenic forcings together. Globally, economic and population growth continued to be the most important drivers of increases in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Changes in many extreme weather and climate events have been observed since about 1950. Some of these changes have been linked to human influences, including a decrease in cold temperature extremes, an increase in warm temperature extremes, an increase in extreme high sea levels and an increase in the number of heavy precipitation events in a number of regions”.

In short, the Earth is already responding to climate change drivers introduced by mankind.

Temperatures and Extreme Events are Increasing Globally

Surface temperature is projected to rise over the 21st century under all assessed emission scenarios. It is very likely that heat waves will occur more often and last longer, and that extreme precipitation events will become more intense and frequent in many regions. The ocean will continue to warm and acidify, and global mean sea level to rise. Changes in many extreme weather and climate events have been observed since about 1950. Some of these changes have been linked to human influences, including a decrease in cold temperature extremes, an increase in warm temperature extremes, an increase in extreme high sea levels and an increase in the number of heavy precipitation events in a number of regions.[iii]

Climate Risks

Climate change is projected to undermine food security. Due to projected climate change by the mid-21st century and beyond, global marine species redistribution and marine biodiversity reduction in sensitive regions will challenge the sustained provision of fisheries productivity and other ecosystem services. For wheat, rice and maize in tropical and temperate regions, climate change without adaptation is projected to negatively impact production for local temperature increases of 2°C or more above late 20th century levels, although individual locations may benefit. Global temperature increases of ~4°C or more above late 20th century levels, combined with increasing food demand, would pose large risks to food security globally. Climate change is projected to reduce renewable surface water and groundwater resources in most dry subtropical region, intensifying competition for water among sectors.

Until mid-century, projected climate change will impact human health mainly by exacerbating health problems that already exist. Throughout the 21st century, climate change is expected to lead to increases in ill-health in many regions and especially in developing countries with low income, as compared to a baseline without climate change. Health impacts include greater likelihood of injury and death due to more intense heat waves and fires, increased risks from foodborne and waterborne diseases and loss of work capacity and reduced labor productivity in vulnerable populations. Risks of undernutrition in poor regions will increase. Risks from vector-borne diseases are projected to generally increase with warming, due to the extension of the infection area and season, despite reductions in some areas that become too hot for disease vectors. 

In urban areas climate change is projected to increase risks for people, assets, economies and ecosystems, including risks from heat stress, storms and extreme precipitation, inland and coastal flooding, landslides, air pollution, drought, water scarcity, sea level rise and storm surges. These risks are amplified for those lacking essential infrastructure and services or living in exposed areas. Rural areas are expected to experience major impacts on water availability and supply, food security, infrastructure and agricultural incomes, including shifts in the production areas of food and non-food crops around the world.

Climate change is projected to increase displacement of people. Populations that lack the resources for planned migration experience higher exposure to extreme weather events, particularly in developing countries with low income. Climate change can indirectly increase risks of violent conflicts by amplifying well-documented drivers of these conflicts such as poverty and economic shocks.[i]

Regional and Local Impacts

Because the impacts of climate change vary geographically. The Tampa Bay region is frequently ranked as an area with the most vulnerability to climate change risks. These risks include increased intensity of extreme weather events, heat, precipitation, sea level, and vector-borne diseases.

Numbers in ovals (Figure 3) indicate regional totals of climate change publications from 2001 to 2010, based on the Scopus bibliographic database for publications in English with individual countries mentioned in title, abstract or key words (as of July 2011). These numbers provide an overall measure of the available scientific literature on climate change across regions; they do not indicate the number of publications supporting attribution of climate change impacts in each region. Studies for polar regions and small islands are grouped with neighboring continental regions.[ii]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Must be Reduced

Limiting risks across Reasons For Concern (a) would imply a limit for cumulative emissions of CO2 (b) which would constrain annual GHG emissions over the next few decades (c). Panel A reproduces the five Reasons For Concern. Panel b (Figure 4) links temperature changes to cumulative CO2 emissions (in GtCO2) from 1870. They are based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 simulations (pink plume) and on a simple climate model (median climate response in 2100), for the baselines and five mitigation scenario categories (six ellipses). Panel c shows the relationship between the cumulative CO2 emissions (in GtCO2) of the scenario categories and their associated change in annual GHG emissions by 2050, expressed in percentage change (in percent GtCO2-eq per year) relative to 2010. The ellipses correspond to the same scenario categories as in Panel b, and are built with a similar method.[i]

The recent and massive buildup of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is conceivably even more extraordinary than changes observed thus far regarding temperature, sea level, and snow cover in the Northern hemisphere in that current levels greatly exceed recorded precedent going back much further than the modern temperature record.

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have increased since the pre-industrial era driven largely by economic and population growth. From 2000 to 2010 emissions were the highest in history. Historical emissions have driven atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide to levels that are unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years, leading to an uptake of energy by the climate system.[ii]

In response to the problem of climate change, many communities in the United States are taking responsibility for addressing emissions at the local level. Since many of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions are directly or indirectly controlled through local policies, local governments have a strong role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions within their boundaries. Through proactive measures around land use patterns, transportation demand management, energy efficiency, green building, and waste diversion, local governments can dramatically reduce emissions in their communities. In addition, local governments are primarily responsible for the provision of emergency services and the mitigation of natural disaster impacts. While this Plan is designed to reduce overall emissions levels, as the effects of climate change become more common and severe, local government adaptation policies will be fundamental in preserving the welfare of residents and businesses.

[1]. IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K Pachauri, and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. Geneva, Switzerland, 151 pp

[1]. IPCC, 2014: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2014: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.

For the Complete Greenprint 2.0 Plan

This online version of the Clearwater Greenprint 2.0 plan does not include all the tables and illustrations that are originally included in the official document. For that version, you can call the city's sustainability office at (727) 562-4003 for the all-inclusive version.