Topics and Terminology to Be Familiar With

Adaptation. Adaptation is the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climate conditions or their physical effects. Adaptation prevents or moderates harm from worsening weather resulting from climate change. It is usually local or regional in nature.

Afforestation. Afforestation is the planting of new forests on lands that historically have not contained forests.

Aggregation.  aka  Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), Community Choice Energy, Municipal Aggregation, or Community Aggregation. Whichever term is used, it refers to an alternative to the investor-owned utility (IOU) as the sole source of a community’s power.  Under CCA, local entities aggregate the buying power of individual customers within a defined jurisdiction in order to negotiate alternative (usually green and renewable) energy supply contracts. “Enabling Smaller Buyers to Access Large-scale Projects” www.cleantechnica.com 8/18/21. “Banding Together: How Aggregation Helps Cities Buy Renewables at Scale” www.cleantechnica.com 8/18/21. “Community Choice Aggregation Explained in Less Than 5 Minutes” www.solstice.us . and “The Rapid Growth of Community Choice Energy and its Acceleration of Renewable Energy” www.innovation.luskin.ucla.edu .

Albedo. Albedo is the amount of solar radiation that is reflected from an object or surface, often expressed as a percentage.

Anthropogenic. Made by people or resulting from human activities.

Biofuels. Gas or liquid fuels made from plant materials including wood in various forms, peat, agricultural waste, straw, tires, fish oil, sludge waste, municipal solid waste, etc.

Biomass. Biomass is composed of materials that are biological in origin, including organic material, both living and dead, from above and below ground.  Eg., trees, including bark, roots, tree litter, crops, grasses, and animals and animal waste.

Blue Carbon. BC is the carbon captured by living organisms in coastal and marine ecosystems, such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses, and stored in biomass and sediments.

Brownfields. A brownfield is a current or former industrial site where future use is affected by real or perceived environmental contamination.  “Brightfields Accelerator” www.rmi.org/time-for-communities-to-embrace-clean-energy-on-brownfields/  9/26/22. Deals with RMI’s partnering effort with Kansas State University’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields program. (www.ksutab.org)   This RMI/KSU program intends to launch the first-ever accelerator for brightfields projects to create a broader project development pipeline for the market. This program will include technical assistance, tools, and other resources to help local governments, site owners, and community partners make smart and sustainable choices about the re-use and revitalization of brownfield sites and prepare for funding, financing, and procurement of clean energy.  The Accelerator will help communities understand and leverage the new (2022) Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) incentives that encourage clean energy projects on brownfields and in low-income communities.  “EPA’s Brownfields & Land Revitalization Program” www.epa.gov/brownfields/overview-epas-brownfields-program . “The Time is Ripe for Communities to Embrace Clean Energy on Brownfields” www.rmi.org 9/26/22.  “The Future of Landfills is Bright” www.rmi.org 2021.

Carbon Credits.  Carbon Credits aka Carbon Offsets (some describe these 2 terms slightly differently) are permits that allow their owner to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other greenhouse gases. One credit permits the emission of one ton of CO2 or the equivalent in other greenhouse gases. “Carbon Credits” www.carboncredits.com  “Offsets, Onsets and Insects” www.carbon-direct.com/insights/offsets-onsets-insects-more-is-more . Carbon Direct is a company devoted to using science to remove carbon, both directly from the air as well as from carbon-generating industrial processes. “Carbon Offsets from Farm Soil” “Perennial Soil-based Carbon-Removal Verification Platform” The Platform analyzes the chemical composition of soil and provides standardized data to help corporations achieve net-zero targets, while putting more carbon offset dollars into farmers’ pockets. “Perennial Raises $18M Soil Carbon Investment from Bloomberg and Microsoft” www.carboncredits.com 5/19/22. Selected by Time Magazine for inclusion in its “Best Inventions 2022” edition.  “Produce Pay & ALLCOT Announce a Carbon Offset Program for Produce Growers”  www.agfundernews.com 7/19/22. “Carbon Credits and Climate Action: Introducing the Net-zero Marketplace” www.greenbiz.com (webinar) 11/17/22. “Riverse” (France) www.riverse.io Riverse is a carbon certification protocol to help provide fundings for low carbon solutions.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2). CO2 is a naturally occurring gas, and is also a by-product of burning fossil fuels and biomass, as well as caused by land use changes and industrial processed.  It is the principal human-caused greenhouse gas.

Carbon Footprint.  CF is the total amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the atmosphere each year by a person, family or other group, building, organization, or company.

Carbon Market. The Carbon Market is a trading system in which reduced emissions or captured concentrations of GHGs are traded, exchanged, and bought and/or sold.  Such markets can be either regulated or voluntary.

Circular Economy.  The Circular Economy is a model of production and consumption which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.  The life of products is extended. Waste is reduced to a minimum. “Circular Cities: Thriving, Livable, Resilient” www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org . “Reimagining Cities With Circularity in Mind” www.youtube.com . “Google and New York Are Leading Cities Into the Circular Economy” www.greenbiz.com 10/3/17. “Circular Cities” Podcast. www.impact.economist.com/sustainability/circular-economies/circular-cities “Circular North America” Accelerating the Transition to a Thriving and Resilient Low-carbon Economy” www.canada.ca .  “Circular Copenhagen” www.circularcph.cphsolutionslab.dk/cc/home  “10 Cities With Forward-thinking Recycling Programs” www.rts.com 11/15/19. The 10 cities are: Phoenix, NYC, L.A., San Francisco, Seattle, Boise, Portland OR, San Diego, Boston, and Denver.

“Cities Partnering With Cities” www.usmayors.org.  A list of cities that are interested in, or already partnering with other local governments to advance climate solutions in the areas of electricity, buildings, or fleets”.

Citizen Group Action.   Hardly a new topic, in a general sense, but still new where climate change and its issues are involved. “Moving Forward: A Guide to Building Momentum on Climate Solutions in Your Community” www.nlc.org   “How to Become a Climate Activist” www.mcecleanenergy.org

Climate Action Planning. City planning is nothing new in the U.S. and elsewhere.  The first planned city in the New World took place when, in 1733, British General James Oglethorpe landed his group of 120 former debtors prison inmates about a dozen miles up from where the Savannah River meets the Atlantic Ocean, laid a grid upon the land by the riverbank, and called it Savannah. What is new, is widespread recognition of rising global temperatures, due to human activity, and the need, at every level, to find ways to counteract this warming of the planet.  Cities included. Some cities have been at what we now call Climate Action Planning (CAP) for 20+ years, going back to the turn of the millennium and possibly earlier.  Others, ostrich-like, continue to ignore the situation, denying it altogether, hoping it will somehow just all go away, or hoping that others will do all the heavy lifting.   So what is a CAP? It is a framework document for measuring, tracking, and reducing GHG emissions and adopting  climate adaptation measures.  It is used as a guide to administrative bodies in addressing the impact of climate change in their communities. www.climatecheck.com/risks/mitigation/what-is-a-climate-action-plan  “Top 5 Ways Cities Are Addressing Climate Change” www.nlc.org .

This NLC article also lists the top 10 themes from US city CAPs: (1 – 10): energy-efficient buildings; EVs; optimized waste operations; public transport; acquisition of renewable energy; environmental justice; climate resilience; density & mix of land uses; sustainable food access; and air quality.  “Local Governments Toolkit” This is a listing of public sector energy tools and toolkits, compiled by Getting to Zero. www.gettingtozeroforum.org/local-governments/  Some of these tools/toolkits include: Net Zero Energy and Decarbonization Toolkit; Public Buildings Portfolio Management Strategic Energy Plan Template; Zero Energy Communications Toolkit; Community Action Planning for Energy Efficiency; Building Electrification Action Plan for Climate Leaders; Zero Energy Project; and others.  “A Strategic Approach to Climate Action in Cities: Focused Acceleration” www.mckinsey.com 11/12/17.

The McKinsey article prioritizes efforts in 4 areas that it says could help cities achieve 90 to 100% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030, these being: decarbonizing the electricity grid; optimizing energy efficiency in buildings; enabling next generation mobility; and improving waste management. “C40 Climate Action Planning Resource Centre” www.c40.org. Provides resources and tools to support climate planners in the process of delivering action consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Other CAP guidelines available from: www.iclei.org, www.icleiusa.org  And who is going to coordinate and manage the whole CAP effort? Find out at “Why Would a City Need a Chief Climate Officer?” www.governing.com 8/26/22. And we’ll wrap this CAP session up with a few cities whose climate action plans and reports should provide some ideas of what goes into a CAP.

“Copenhagen Climate Plan Roadmap 2021-2025” www.smartcity-atelier.eu “GPS Case Study: City of Columbus OH: “GPS Data Points the Way to a Projected Savings of $1.2M Annually” www.assetworks.com . Washington DC: “Climate of Opportunity: A Climate Action Plan For the District of Columbia” www.doee.dc.gov . Eugene OR: “A Community Climate and Energy Action Plan for Eugene” www.eugene-or.gov . Alameda CA: “Local Action Plan for Climate Protection” www.ca-ilg.org . Vancouver BC: “Greenest City: 2020 Action Plan” www.vancouver.ca .

Boston MA: Greenovate Boston: 2014 Climate Action Plan Update” www.cityofboston.gov . Chicago IL: “Lessons Learned: Creating the Chicago Climate Action Plan” www.chicagoclimateaction.org .  London UK: “London Environment Strategy” www.london.gov .  Portland ME: “Municipal Climate Action Plan” www.portlandmaine.gov . New York NY: “One City: Built to Last” www.nyc.gov . Cambridge MA: “Cambridge Net Zero Action Plan” (2021 Update) www.cambridgema.gov

Climate Justice.  We can’t just go about cooling and saving the planet on the backs of the less fortunate among us.  “What is Climate Justice?” 7/29/20. www.yaleclimateconnections.org  “Principles of Climate Justice” from the Mary Robinson Foundation. www.mrfcj.org/principles-of-climate-justice/  “Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool” www.screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5  “Mapping Environmental Justice to Census Tracts”  11/27/22. www.planetizen.com

Climate Planning Education, Training and Certification.  There are numerous means available for people to upgrade their skills and knowledge base in climate planning through the courses and skillsl training taught by various organizations, including major world universities. Some of these are as follows:

1.  the C40 Climate Action Planning Programme – “Comprehensive Support For Ambitious and Equitable Climate Action Plans” www.c40.org .

2. “City Climate Planner” www.cityclimateplanner.org  City Climate Planner is a partnership of ICLEI/Local Governments for Sustainability, the World Resources Institute, and Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI). Its first professional certification is the Urban Greenhouse Gas Inventory Specialist credential.

3. “City Works for Climate Action” www.localising-global-agendas.org .

4. “Climate Action Planning and Implementation” www.cpe.ucdavis.edu/course/climate-action-planning-and-implementation .

5. Coursera. www.coursera.com. Coursera locates and offers courses on a wide range of subjects offered by major world universities. A search of its website for “climate planning” brings 77 results; for “climate action, 59 results, and for “city sustainability”, 37 results.

6. EDX Courses www.edx.org.  Similar to Coursera.

7. “Environmental Law Institute Best Practices in Local Climate Action Planning” www.eli.org

8. FutureLearn Courses. Many are climate-related. www.futurelearn.com .

9. GHG Management Institute. Courses and Diplomas.  www.ghginstitute.org/courses/ .

10. “Global Covenant of Mayors Online Training Course” www.c40knowledgehub.org   Designed for mayors, city sustainability officers, environmental policy advisors, and city climate planning professionals.

11. IUPUI Sustainability Courses. Three courses showing at www.youtube.com: “Beginner Training Session: How to Create a Climate Action Plan”; “Creating Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories”; and “How to Conduct a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory”.

12. Lund University (Sweden) Courses in Sustainable Cities and Communities” www.coursera.org/specializations/sustainable-cities

13. Planetizen Courses in Climate Action Planning. “Climate Action Planning” www.planetizen.com .

14. Smart Cities Academy.  www.smartcitiescouncil.com/academy .

15. University of Cape Town. “Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries” www.coursera.org/learn/climate-change-mitigation .

16. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Climate Planning Courses. “City Climate Planner” www.usgbc.org .

17. “City Climate Planner Certificate Program” www.worldbank.org .

18. “Global Covenant of Mayors Online Training Course” www.c40knowledgehub.org .

Cluster Strategy.  CS is a best practice that aggregates energy demand among several jurisdictions in a county or utility district.  All these communities should have more or less the same GHG emission reduction goals; should share the same utilities and state and local policy frameworks; and the same strategies aligned to attain their shared goals. “Cities Adopting Best Practices and Lessons Learned at the Local Level” www.cleanenergytransition.org 8/7/18.

Consumption-based Emissions. These are indirect emissions associated with food choices, travel habits, supply chains and many more activities that keep cities running but are not tied directly to local production. “Youth from Turku, Yokohama and Nagano Join Forces to Call for a 1.5 Degree Life” www.iclei.org  3/23/21.

Decarbonization. This is the process by which a country, state, province, city, or other political jurisdiction or private organization aims to achieve zero-fossil fuel status.  Typically refers to a reduction of the GHG emissions associated with electricity, industry, transport, or building heating and cooling. See the report on decarbonizing the heating of buildings: Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat: Final Report”. 11/30/22. www.mass.gov

Declaration of Climate Emergency. (DCE). A DCE is a piece of legislation passed by a governing body, such as a city council.  It puts the government on record in support of taking emergency action to reverse global warming.  The resolution should include climate targets and goals. “Climate Emergency Declarations: How Cities Are Leading the Charge” www.islandinnovation.co 5/15/20.  “How Cities Are Using the Climate Declaration to Make Big New Moves to Decarbonize Locally” www.carbonneutralcities.org Feb. ‘21. “Climate Emergency Declaration” www.climateemergencydeclaration.org .  “As More Cities Declare Crises Around Climate and Affordability, Does Change Follow?” www.smartcitiesdive.com 6/7/22.

Demand Response. DR provides an opportunity for power consumers to play a significant role in the operation of the electric grid by reducing or shifting their electricity usage during peak periods in response to time-based rates or other forms of financial incentives. DR programs are being used by electric utility operators as resource options for balancing power supply and demand. “Demand Response” www.energy.gov/oe/demand-response .  “Demand Response” www.iea.org/reports/demand-response . “Demand Response: Earn Payments for Reducing Energy Consumption” www.enelx.com .

Desertification. Desertification is land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities.  Also described as a loss in these areas of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rain-fed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest or woodlands resulting from land uses or human processes such as soil erosion caused by such poor agricultural practices as monoculture, soil tilling, and the use of synthetic pesticides.

Distributed Energy. Distributed energy resources are small, modular energy generation and storage technologies that provide electric capacity or energy at or very close to where it is needed. In contrast to power generated many miles away and sent over regional or interstate transmission lines.  “Using Distributed Energy Resources” www.nrel.gov . “Distributed Energy Resources (DER)” www.techtarget.com .

Electrical Grid. or Understanding the Electrical Grid. “The Power Grid Explained – Plus Demand Response, Virtual Power Plants and More” www.canarymedia.com 6/2/22. “Fixing the US Power Grid: A Challenge For 2023 and Beyond” www.canarymedia.com 12/29/22.

Embodied Carbon in New Building Construction and Building Renovation. (EC). EC consists of all the GHG emissions associated with building construction, including those that arise from extracting, transporting, manufacturing, and installing building materials on-site, as well as the operational and end-of-life emissions associated with those materials. “Reducing Embodied Carbon in New Construction” www.mckinsey.com 10/17/22.  “Embodied Carbon 101” www.carbonleadershipforum.org/embodied-carbon-101/ .  “Embodied Carbon: What it is and How to Tackle it” www.rpsgroup.com .

Energy Service Agreement (ESA). An ESA is a financing option for building energy efficiency projects where the service provider pays for the upfront costs of any new equipment and performs both routine and emergency maintenance.  ESA contracts include standard, predictable payments, while the building owner benefits immediately from having new modern HVAC and related equipment, a better tenant experience, and generally lower energy costs.  The equipment acts as collateral, so an ESA doesn’t require a lien on the building itself. “Unleashing Energy Efficiency Retrofits Through Building Performance Contracts” www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1236618 . “Energy Service Agreements (ESAs)” www.energy.gov .  “Energy Service Agreements: Potential Big Kid in Town?” www.aceee.org .

Enhancing the Pedestrian and Bicycling Experience (so as to reduce the need and the desire to use fossil fuel-powered motor vehicles). Such improvements and facilities might include: safe, interconnected bicycle infrastructure; convenient and secure bicycle parking options; widely accessible bike share opportunities; a reduction of vehicle traffic lanes; addition of median strips on wide roadways; smooth and landscaped sidewalks; and more.  “Complete Streets” www.smartgrowthamerica.org/what-are-complete-streets/  “Complete Streets Policies at the Local Level”  “www.changelabsolutions.org .

Environmental Justice/Climate Equity. EJ means that all people, regardless of race, cultural identity, income level or religious affiliation have a right to be protected from environmental hazards and to live and enjoy a clean and healthful environment.  “How Cities Can Protect Poor People and Minorities from Climate Change” www.governing.com 9/27/17. “Environmental Justice and Climate Just Cities Network” (of Columbia University). www.justicenetwork.climate.columbia.edu . “District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU)”. www.dcseu.com  DCSEU invests in energy efficiency and renewable energy in low-income communities.  As of August 2021, DCSEU has achieved nearly $1B in lifetime energy cost savings for the residents, businesses, and institutions that it has assisted

EV Buses. “How to Shift Your Bus Fleet to Zero Emission by Procuring Only Electric Buses” www.c40knowledgehub.org Nov.2020.  “5 Cities Leading the Battery-Powered Bus Revolution” www.blastpoint.com March 2020. “Electric Buses: Where Are We?” www.ies-synergy.com

EVs and EV Charging.  More on the technical aspects of this topic at this website’s section on Emerging and Underutilized technologies. “How Cities Are Electrifying the Auto Market – Carsharing” www.cleantechnica.com 2/11/21.  “The Electric Mayhem: What Local Governments Must Do to Integrate Electric Vehicles Into Their Fleets” www.icma.org 8/1/20. “19 U.S. Cities Launch Electric Car Effort” www.governing.com 9/11/18.  “Cities Lay the Groundwork For an Adequate EV Charging Infrastructure” www.americancityandcounty.com 7/15/22.  “How to Build an Electric Vehicle City: Deploying Charging Infrastructure” www.c40knowledgehub.org Aug. 2021.

Financing/Funding City Climate Action. First, see “Energy Service Agreement” above. Then: “6 Innovative Funding Methods to Achieve Climate Action & Equity in US Cities” www.cleantechnica.com 5/9/21. “Clean Energy Access For All” www.raisegreen.com   “Federal Financing Programs for Clean Energy” (USDOE) www.energy.gov . “Clean Energy Financing Programs: A Decision Guide for States and Communities” (USEPA) www.epa.gov .  “Guide to Help Cities Make the Most of Billions in Climate Funds” www.governing.com  This Guide from governing.com is written by the Climate Mayors and c40 Cities. It will help local governments to take advantage of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)’s historic financial support for climate action.  “New Financing For Climate Action and Clean Energy” www.eib.org/en/  (eib = European Investment Bank). “Climate Protection Fund” www.denvergov.org  “How US Cities Are Finding Creative Ways to Fund Climate Progress”. 2/22/23. www.brookings.edu  “4 Ways Cities Are Funding Climate Action”. 8/24/22.

www.bloombergcities.jhu.edu  “Climate Action and the Inflation Reduction Act: A Guide For Local Government Leaders”. Oct. ‘22. Prepared by C40 Cities and Climate Mayors. www.c40knowledgehub.org

Fossil Fuel Restrictions. In recent years city governments have started making moves to limit or prohibit fossil fuel (primarily natural gas) hookups in the heating of new buildings, and sometimes also in substantial remodelings or rehabilitations. “How Local Governments and Communities Are Taking Action to Get Fossil Fuels out of Buildings” www.rmi.org  (The RMI article discusses building code amendments and building performance standards in NYC, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle and L.A.) “Natural Gas and Fossil Fuel Bans in New Construction” www.cushmanwakefield.com .  “U.S. Leads the Way in Citywide Fossil Fuel Bans” www.gizmodo.com .

Fossil Fuels.  Fossil fuel is a general term for organic materials formed from decayed plants and animal matter that have been converted to crude oil, heavy oils, and natural gas (methane) by exposure to heat and pressure in the earth’s crust over hundreds of millions of years.

Geoengineering. Geoengineering involves the idea of reflecting sunlight back out into space by making intentional modifications to the earth’s system intended to stop and reverse global warming.

Green Tariffs (GT). A GT is a price structure, or an electricity rate, offered by a local utility and approved by the state’s Public Utility Commission, that allows eligible customers to source up to 100% of their electricity from renewable sources. “Green Tariffs Are Evolving” www.rmi.org .  “Grid Transformation: Green Tariff Deals” www.wri.org 4/21/17 . “Green Tariffs” www.cityrenewables.org/green-tariffs/ . “Guide to Purchasing Green Power” www.epa.gov .

Green Utilities.  Electric utilities which have taken the lead in the move away from fossil fuels. Some of these are Green Mountain Power, Public Service of New Mexico, Avista, Idaho Power, Duke Energy, and Xcel Energy.  “The 5 Biggest Utilities Committing to Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050”  www.greentechmedia.com 9/16/20 .  “How States and Utilities Can Capitalize on the Biggest Clean Energy Legislation in US History” www.utilitydive.com 8/31/22.  “Arizona Electric Utilities Voluntarily Commit to 100% Clean Energy” www.azcc.gov .  “Utilities, Cities, and States With Clean Energy Targets” www.thirdway.org .

Greenhouse Effect. The GE is the trapping and build-up of heat in the lower level of the earth’s atmosphere – called the troposphere – near to the planet’s surface. Some of the heat that would otherwise flow back into space from the earth’s surface is instead absorbed by water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, and various other gases in the atmosphere and then re-radiated back toward the earth’s surface, resulting in global warming

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventories. A GHG inventory comprises the first step toward managing emissions.  The inventory process and results supply local governments with baseline information on a community’s GHG sources.  The data can be used by community leaders to identify opportunities for governmental action and partnerships to achieve emissions reductions targets. The information obtained can also be used to understand where there are opportunities for energy efficiency, for the replacement of some or all of a community’s power supply with clean energy, and saving taxpayer money.  “GHG Protocol” www.ghgprotocol.org/about-us . The GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive global standardized frameworks to measure and manage GHG emissions from private and public sector operations, value chains, and mitigation actions.  “ClearPath” www.icleiusa.org .”New Tool and Step-by-Step Guide: Community Greenhouse Gas Inventories” www.mapc.org/planning101/community-ghg-assessment/ (MAPC is the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, which serves the cities and towns in the Boston metro area.)

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). GHGs are the atmospheric gases responsible for causing global warming and climate change. The major GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N20).  Less prevalent but very powerful greenhouse gases are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

Heat Islands.  A Heat Island is an urban area characterized by temperatures higher than those in the surrounding non-urban area. As urban areas come into being and grow, roads and other infrastructure replace open land and vegetation. These surfaces absorb more solar heat which creates higher temperatures in urban areas.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, the IPCC surveys world-wide scientific and technical literature and publishes assessment reports that are widely recognized as the most credible existing sources of information on climate change.

Internet of Things (IoT).  See in Emerging and Underutilized Technologies section of this website.

Land Use.  Land Use Patterns Best Suited for Low-carbon Cities. “Low-Carbon Land-Use Laws” April ‘22. www.planning.org/publications/document9232582/ .  “We Can’t Beat the Climate Crisis Without Rethinking Land Use” www.brookings.edu . 5/12/21.  “To Tackle Climate Change, We Must Reform Land Use” www.americanprogress.org

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). LEED for Cities and Communities helps local leaders create and operationalize responsible, sustainable and specific plans for natural systems, energy, water, waste, transport, and many other factors that contribute to quality of life – revolutionizing the way cities and communities are planned, developed and operated in order to improve their overall sustainability and quality of life.  www.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/leed-for-cities-communities .  “Current List of All 120 LEED-certified Cities and Communities” www.usgbc.org  “Peek Into a LEED Project: City of Cincinnati” www.usgbc.org . “USGBC Adds to List of LEED-certified Cities” www.commercialsearch.com .

Mayors.  The office of Mayor is critical to any city’s taking a leadership role in matters which deal with mitigating climate change.  There are several organization of mayors doing just this.  “Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy” www.globalcovenantofmayors.org .  “Climate Mayors” www.climatemayors.org .  “Mayors Call for Massachusetts to Go 100% Renewable” www.environmentmassachusetts.org 11/18/19 .  “Mayors Announce Support For Global Green New Deal” www.c40.org  10/9/19. “Mayors Leading the Way on Climate” www.c2es.org

Methane. (CH4). Methane is a hydrocarbon that is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential estimated at 25 times that of CO2.  Methane is produced via anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition of waste in landfills, animal digestion, decomposition of animal wastes, the production and distribution of natural gas and petroleum, coal production, and the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels.

Microgrids. (More on microgrids in the Emerging and Underutilized section of this website.) A microgrid is a local electrical grid with defined boundaries.  It acts as a single and controllable entity. It is able to operate in either grid-connected mode or in so-called “island” (stand-alone) mode. Microgrids can help deploy more zero-emissions energy sources, make use of waste heat produced nearby, reduce energy lost through regional or interstate transmission lines, help manage power supply, and improve grid resilience to extreme weather.  “Microgrids Across the United States” www.clean-coalition.org . “Culver City, California Considers a Microgrid Following Move to Community Aggregation” www.microgridknowledge.com 12/6/18 .