National Capital Region Climate Change Report

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National Capital Region Climate Change Report

• OVERVIEW
• Joan Rohlfs, Chief, Air Quality Planning
• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
• October 20, 2009

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
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COG Board Action April 11, 2007
COG Climate Change Initiative

• Through R31-07, COG Board created Climate Change
  Steering Committee to
• Prepare regional inventory of greenhouse gases
• Identify best practices and policies
• Examine climate change impacts
• Recommend regional greenhouse gas reduction
  goal(s)
• Recommend committee structure for climate change
  initiative
• Propose advocacy positions
• Prepare recommendations report to COG Board

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Climate Change Steering Committee

• 18 Committee members
• Primarily elected officials from the District of
  Columbia, Maryland and Virginia local governments
• State environmental representatives from
  Maryland, Virginia and DC
• Regional transit agency (METRO), Greater
  Washington Board of Trade

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Major Accomplishments
Major Accomplishments

• Greenhouse gas emissions inventory 2005-2050
• Best Practices Report
• Emission reduction goals for 2012, 2020, 2050
• Federal/state advocacy
• Draft Report July 9, 2008
• Outreach/Listening meetings July 9 Sept. 30
• Final Report Adopted November 12, 2008
• Now implementing report recommendations

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Best Practices Guide

• HIGHLIGHTS
• Over 2/3 of local governments in the region
  purchase renewable energy
• Over 1/2 of the jurisdictions have adopted energy
  efficiency measures
• Nearly 90 of the communities in the region have
  embarked on transit oriented development and over
  80 have walkable community initiatives
• About 70 of communities have green space
  protection and green infrastructure programs
• All communities in the region have recycling
  programs.

Download at http//www.mwcog.org/
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COG Climate Change Report

• Getting Smart on Climate Change
• Climate Change, Potential Impacts on Region
• Current Projected Regional Greenhouse Gas
  Emission Inventory
• Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets
• Taking Action
• Energy Consumption
• Transportation and Land Use
• Economic Development Preparing for Impacts,
  Financing Outreach and Education.
• Moving Forward
• COG Climate Change Program
• Reference Information

Download at http//www.mwcog.org/
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Average annual temperature in the Metropolitan
Washington Region
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Measured Temperature Changes in Chesapeake Bay
Surface Waters
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
Total 74 million metric tonnes in 2005 Source
MWCOG 2008.
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Example of Local Government Greenhouse Gas
Emissions
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Adopted Regional Reduction
Goals
2012 10 Below Business as Usual 2020 20 Below
2005 2050 80 Below 2005
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Opportunities to reduce regional GHG emissions
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Selected Major Recommendations
Selected Major Recommendations
Regional Planning

• Prepare strategy to achieve 2012 regional
  emission reduction goal by end of 2009 (10 below
  business as usual)

• Prepare strategy to achieve 2020 regional
  emission reduction goal by end of 2010 (20 below
  2005)

Energy

• Explore energy audit and retrofit program.
• Promote energy efficient street lighting.
• Collaborate with utilities on regional
  energy conservation program.

• Implement COG green building policy
• Implement Best Practices to reduce local
  govt. energy use by 15 by 2015
• Local govts purchase 20 green power by 2015

Transportation

• Adopt Regional Green Fleet Policy
• Support California Low Emission Vehicle
  Standards

• Develop regional planning process for reducing
  transportation greenhouse gas emissions

Land Use

• Establish Transit-oriented development as the
  regions preferred growth strategy

• Prepare plan to meet goal of increased tree
  canopy in region.

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Street Light Recommendation

• The Climate Change Steering Committees report to
  the COG Board identifies a range of regional
  greenhouse gas reduction strategies. Among the
  implementation strategies is a recommendation to
  examine options and develop plans for replacing
  street lights with energy efficient street
  lighting (LED or other options) across the
  region.

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CEEPC Membership
COG Members - 25 1 Elected Official per COG
local government 1 Additional elected Official
for District of Columbia (Mayor) Fairfax
County Montgomery County (Exec) Prince George
County (Exec)
Stakeholders - 17 Federal/Regional Agencies
- 4 Electric Gas Utilities - 3 Environmental
Community - 3 Business Community - 3 Academic
Community 3 Chair, Air Quality Public
Advisory Committee
Regional Transportation Planning
Board Metropolitan Washington Air Quality
Committee WMATA Board of Directors Added if
not represented by COG members.
State Government - 13 MD, VA Senate House State
Environment, Energy, Transportation Directors
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2009-2012 Regional Climate Action Workplan

• Goal Reduce Demand for Energy
• Promote energy efficient streetlights across the
  region