Topics and Terminology to Be Familiar With

Mitigation. In the context of climate change, mitigation is a human intervention to reduce the sources, or enhance the sinks (depositories) of greenhouse gases. Eg., using fossil fuels more efficiently for industrial processes, electricity generation, home heating, etc; switching from the use of fossil fuels to solar energy, wind power, green hydrogen; improving the insulation of buildings; using more efficient mobility vehicles; and expanding forests and other carbon sinks to remove greater amounts of GHGs from the atmosphere.

Natural Environment.  The more trees, plants, green roofs, vertical gardens, grasslands, and untilled soils there are within a city’s borders, the more greenhouse gases will be removed from the atmosphere.  The articles and reports included here will help you to bring this about. “The Living City: Weaving Nature Back into the Urban Fabric” www.e360.yale.edu 6/23/22. “How to Grow an Urban Forest” www.c40knowledgehub.org . “Urban Forest Strategy” (in Melbourne, Australia) www.melbourne.vic.gov.au . “Urban Greening: Six Cities Making Room for Nature” www.bbcearth.com (The cities mentioned are Liverpool, Curitiba, Singapore, Izmir, Seoul, and The High Line in New York City.)  “Vertical Gardens and Green Roofs of Colombia” www.tropicalcommons.co  “The Role of the Landscape Architect in the Fight Against Climate Change” www.ucsdclimatereview.org .  “Bosco Verticale” www.designbuild-network.com . “Guide to Living Terrace Roofs and Green Roofs” www.c40knowledgehub.org  “Growing Green Guide: A Guide to Green Roofs, Walls and Facades in Melbourne and Victoria, Australia” www.202020vision.com

Net-Zero vs. Carbon-Neutral.  Understanding the difference between the two. Carbon-neutral, in essence, is using a fuel, such as biogas, that is generated from organic matter. Doing so emits greenhouse gases, but the food or similar organic substances that are growing at the same time are absorbing an approximate equivalent amount of these gases.  However, to qualify as being a carbon-neutral action, the burned biogas must be offsetting what would otherwise have been the use of fossil fuels to perform the job. Another form of achieving carbon-neutrality: using fossil fuels to do a job, and at the same time purchasing carbon credits or offsets elsewhere. Net-Zero is using a power source that emits no greenhouse gases, such as solar, wind, or green hydrogen. “Is There a Difference Between Net-Zero and Carbon Neutral?” www.sustain.life .  What is the Difference Between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero?” www.greenly.earth . “What’s the Difference Between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero?” www.ecometrica.com. And “Carbon-Free Glossary” www.gain.inl.gov

Nuclear Energy. It is carbon-free.  Should it be in your city’s energy mix? “The Power Plant of the Future Could Run on Nuclear Waste” www.grist.org .  “Driving Deeper Decarbonization With Nuclear Energy” www.iaea.org Sept. ‘20. “Nuclear Energy Can Be the Turning Point in the Race to Decarbonize” www.weforum.org 5/22/22.  “All the IPCC Scenarios Require More Nuclear Power” www.orano.group . “Global Climate Objectives Fall Short Without Nuclear Power in the Mix” www.un.org

Ocean Acidification (OA). OA results from an increased concentration of CO2 in seawater causing a measurable increase in acidity (a reduction of ocean pH).  OA may lead to reduced calcification rates of calcifying organisms, such as corals, mollusks, algae, and crustaceans.

Paris Agreement. Adopted Dec. 2015 in Paris, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Paris Agreement was adopted by 197 parties to the UNFCCC.  Primary goal: to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels, and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C. above pre-industrial levels.

Peaker Plants.  A Peaker Plant is a power plant that can turn on and off very quickly to meet temporary peaks in electricity demand. They are usually located close to load (people and businesses) and are typically fueled by oil or natural gas. Is a conventionally fueled generating plant the best way to meet this power need?  Many think not. “Energy Storage to Replace Peaker Plants” www.sandia.gov .  “The Drive to Replace Summer-only ‘Peaker’ Power Plants” www.wired.com 5/19/20. “Replacing Peaker Plants With Battery Storage” www.cesa.org  “Battery Storage 30% Cheaper Than Gas Peaker Plants” www.pv-magazine.com 4/12/21.

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). PPAs are the predominant pathway for cities and utilities to contract for new clean power projects. “How Cities Can Benefit From Power Purchase Agreements” www.c2es.org Sept. ‘18. “Off-Site Physical PPA” www.cityrenewables.org . “How Cities Can Create Demand For Large-scale Clean Energy Generation” www.c40knowledgehub.org . “City of Sacramento Solar PPA” www.gwu.edu

Public Buildings.  Nothing new about public buildings, of course, but cities, towns, counties, etc. are ideally positioned to Lead by Example, by making sure that their current and future properties are as energy-efficient and clean energy-powered as possible. “Public Buildings Portfolio Management Implementation Guide” From the New Buildings Institute. www.newbuildings.org  The Guide outlines a process to help staff engage stakeholders, set tangible goals, target opportunities, and develop a plan to achieve deep and ongoing energy reductions in public building portfolios. It is applicable to any city, county, regional government, state agency, or school district interested in saving on operating costs, reducing emissions, and leading by example in its community.  “Blueprint For an Energy-efficient City Hall” www.toronto.ca .  “Target Zero: a Journey to Decarbonizing the Public Sector” www.mckinsey.com 8/22/22.

“Green Building Policy for City-owned Facilities” www.portlandoregon.gov . “Solar and Storage For Cities” www.cityrenewables.org .  “How to Install Solar Panels on City-owned Property” www.c40knowledgehub.org . “Northern Denmark Integrated Green Energy” www.youtube.com .  And re. Public schools: “Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. K – 12 Schools” www.canarymedia.com .  “K12 Climate Action Plan” The Aspen Institute. www.thisisplaneted.org  Sept. ‘21. “State Auditor Review Finds Local Government Solar Energy Projects Save Taxpayer Funds” www.auditor.iowa.gov 2/25/21.

Renewable Energy. Renewable energy consists of energy resources that are naturally replenishing, such as solar, wind, biomass, hydro, geothermal, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action.

Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).  An RPS is a regulatory mandate, usually associated with state governments, to increase production of energy from green, renewable sources such as wind, solar and other alternatives to fossil fuels and to nuclear electric power generation.  “State Renewable Portfolio Standards and Goals” www.ncsl.org .  “Renewable Portfolio Standards” www.nrel.gov/state-local-tribal/basics-portfolio-standards.html . “What Are Renewable Portfolio Standards” www.eia.gov .  “U.S. State Electricity Portfolio Standards” www.c2es.org .

Resilience. Resilience is the ability of human and natural systems to face a dangerous situation and to respond or reorganize so that they maintain their functionality, identity, and structure, as well as conserve their capability for adaptation, learning and transformation.

Shipping Ports’ Climate Issues.  If your city or region has a shipping port of any size, chances are it’s a kind of brownfield. “How to Clean Up the Dirty Ports” www.canarymedia.com 11/25/22.  “3 Ways the New Climate Law Will Help Clean Up Dirty US Ports” www.canarymedia.com 8/23/22.  “Ports for People” (PFP). www.portsforpeople.pacificenvironment.org . PFP seeks to transform ports from hotspots of fossil fuel pollution to thriving hubs of sustainable economic development and environmental protection. See PFP’s “Ports Playbook for Zero-emission Shipping” which details 9 actions that ports can take to accelerate the transition to zero-emission shipping by 2040.  Other sources of information on the clean-up of ports are: “Opportunity Green” www.opportunitygreen.org; the IEA’s “International Shipping” www.iea.org/reports/international-shipping ;  “Launch of the Green Shipping Challenge” www.state.gov ; “Maritime Sector and Green Hydrogen Leaders Agree on Ambitious Targets” www.rmi.org 11/14/22. “The Top 50 Container Ports” www.worldshipping.org/top-50-ports .

Sink. As in carbon or GHG sink. It is a reservoir, natural or manmade, in soil, ocean and/or plants, where  greenhouse gases are or can be stored.

Solar For Renters.  “Pioneering Project Helps Renters Cash in on Solar Savings”.  4/14/23. www.canarymedia.com  By cleverly stacking an array of incentives and credits, two nonprofits are helping Minneapolis apartment dwellers to slash their power bills by up to one-third.

Stakeholder. A stakeholder is an individual or group that is directly or indirectly affected by or interested in the outcomes of decisions, particular those made in the public sphere.

Stranded Assets. These are assets, usually of an industrial nature, that have experienced loss of value, and/or have become economic liabilities to their owners due to the diminishment of their previously expected revenues. This loss of revenues has been caused by technological innovations that are cheaper to develop and operate.

Stretch Energy Codes aka Stretch Codes, and sometimes called Reach Codes.  A Stretch Code is a building code which emphasizes energy performance, as opposed to prescriptive requirements.  It is designed to result in cost-effective construction that is more energy-efficient than construction that is built to the requirements of the “base” energy code.  “Stretch Codes” www.newbuilding.org/code_policy/utility-programs-stretch-codes/stretch-codes/  “Stretch Energy Code Q&A” www.energycodehelp.com .  States that have Stretch Energy Codes that municipalities may adopt: MA VT NY MD RI ME CA GA.

Sustainable Development (SD). SD is development that meets the needs of the present without diminishing or harming the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  SD balances social, economic and environmental concerns.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022: Implications for City Governments.  “Ultimate Public Climate Spending Spurred by Inflation Reduction Act Could Be Over $800 Billion” www.publicpower.org 10/19/22.  “The Inflation Reduction Act: Provisions and Incentives for Local Governments” www.hklaw.com  The HKLaw article focuses on the Direct Pay provisions of the IRA, and how they can directly benefit municipalities, states, tribes, publicly-owned utilities, electric cooperatives, religious institutions, etc.  “Inflation Reduction Act Provides Major Tax Incentives for Public Power” www.nortonrosefulbright.com 10/11/22. “Retooling Old, Polluting Infrastructure For the Clean Economy” www.canarymedia.com 12/1/22.  “The Inflation Reduction Act Offers Powerful Tools For Solving the Peaker Problem” www.linkedin.com/pulse/inflation-reduction-act-offers-powerful-tools-solving-shelley-robbins/  and www.cleanegroup.org .  9/6/22

Tipping Point.  The tipping point is that point at which a change in the climate triggers a significant environmental event, which may be permanent, such as the widespread bleaching of corals or the melting of very large ice sheets.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Adopted in 1992. Has 197 parties or signatories. The Convention’s ultimate objective is the stabilization of GHG concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous man-made interference with the climate system.