By Judi Knispel

A Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a framework document for measuring, tracking and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while adopting climate adaptation measures.  Government officials use these documents to address the impact of climate change in their communities.  Climate Action Plans include targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and steps for tracking and meeting those goals.  Plans focus on implementing actions that achieve emissions reductions in the most cost-effective ways. 

Putting together a Climate Action Plan is a long process that begins with a baseline survey of previous gas emissions and climate impacts of the municipality.   This might include information such as how many kilowatts the street lamps use, how much gasoline the municipal vehicles burn, how much trash is thrown out, and how much is being recycled. Next, plans are made to reduce emissions and increase carbon offsets.  Financing details are considered.  Goals are set up with interim target check-in dates to monitor the plan.  

Strategies for implementation such as proposed regulations are usually voted on by the local governing body after getting buy-in from the public and non-governmental stakeholders.  

The proactive strategy of using a Climate Action Plan can help governments mitigate and adapt to rapid environmental changes, many of which are regionally and locally specific.  The document can help businesses and citizens become more aware of how their activities are connected to the collaborative effort to address climate change.  

Popular areas of change include transportation where vehicles might be switched out for electric and low-emission vehicles; energy transition where investment in renewable and resilient energy is made; building optimization where building energy is reduced through upgrades of existing structures; materials management where waste, water, recycling  and composting are considered for the goal of reduction and proper disposal; and resiliency where adaptation and mitigation of climate risks such as fire, flood, extreme temperatures, drought and storms are considered, especially for vulnerable populations and infrastructure.

With the help of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Climate Smart Community grant funding, the City of Saratoga Springs hired a consultant to complete an inventory of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by city operations and to help draft a Municipal Climate Action Plan (MCAP). To develop the plan, the city, together with its consultants and the city’s Climate Smart Task Force, has been collecting input from city staff, stakeholders, and the general public. Outreach included a public workshop at the Saratoga Springs Public Library last May. The draft plan is nearing completion and will soon be available for public review and comment prior to adoption of the plan by the City Council. The MCAP will be the city’s first planning document dedicated solely to climate change mitigation and adaptation, but it builds on existing city planning documents including the city’s Natural Resources Inventory, the Comprehensive Plan, and other city plans that incorporate climate and sustainability into the city planning process.

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