Staffing/Consultants and Local Governance.
1. If one does not already exist, the mayor or city manager should designate a City Council committee on climate action. Direct this and any other relevant council committees to become both active and interactive in climate action: eg., carry out an inventory of greenhouse gases, begin to work on a Climate Action Plan, and recruit some form of steering committee, working group, task force of citizens and community leaders to work with the City in these efforts.
2. The City should create and staff an office or department of climate action or sustainability. This position should not just be assigned to some current city staffer or department head who already has a full-time job.
3. Direct City officials, department heads, and supporting staff to fully cooperate with, and support the work of the climate office. “Why Would a City Need a Chief Climate Officer?” www.governing.com 8/26/22.
4. City climate staff should work with building management professionals and consultants to determine how Building Automation Systems (BAS) can enable City-owned properties to save energy. “Building Automation Systems” www.drawdown.org/solutions/building-automation-systems
5. Cities which will be likely to experience increasingly hotter than normal summer temperatures should act as Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Miami have, and create a Chief Heat Officer position. “Los Angeles Becomes Latest City to Hire ‘Chief Heat Officer’” www.smithsonianmag.com 6/21/22.
