Climate protection action planning follows a well-established planning process with some unique considerations. Diagram one below illustrates these steps.

• Make a climate protection commitment
• Develop an action plan
• Detailed planning and implementation
• Monitor and evaluate

This process leads towards progressively deeper emission reductions. See action planning details.

Quick Start and Comprehensive Action

The starting point can be developing a comprehensive strategy in one sector like buildings or an entire community-wide plan.

Alternatively, some of the best local sustainability efforts have grown out of a single surefire project, such as a retrofit of old city hall that evolved into a comprehensive civic building retrofit program that led to a complete citywide plan.

The buildings, neighborhoods and infrastructure sections each identify easy early projects – “quick starts” – that will help build momentum and produce clear results, even if they cannot be precisely measured. Projects should successively lead toward progressively deeper reductions in emissions.

Most local governments will eventually feel compelled to develop comprehensive plans across all sectors, and the action planning process is the same. There are a number of useful resources in developing community-wide plans like the US Mayors' Climate Action Handbook.

Progressively Deeper Reductions

To avoid the most serious consequences of climate change, American towns and cities should be have emission levels that peak by 2015 and are reduced in the order of 60-80% by mid-century. Achieving these targets will require ongoing, iterative improvements.

 

Diagram 1: Action Planning Model