847.448.8096
.gif)
RELATED DOCS
Office of Sustainability 
CLIMATE CHANGE
Creating a Climate for Change
In October 2006, the City of Evanston unanimously voted to sign the US Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. Signed by over 800 cities nationwide, the agreement pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 7% from the 1990 levels by 2012.
In the fall of 2007, Evanston completed a greenhouse gas emission inventory which indicates Evanston needs to reduce emissions by an estimated 13% in the next four years to meet this goal. However, this is only a short-term goal. Long term, many support the necessity of an 80% reduction from present emissions by 2050 to curb the effects of climate change.
The City of Evanston and the Network for Evanston’s Future are jointly developing the Evanston Climate Action Plan (ECAP) through a citizen-based process. This plan outlines a wide range of strategies to reduce Evanston's greenhouse gas emissions.
Structured with nine task forces, each with one city and two citizen co-chairs, the process was launched at a public meeting on November 13, 2007, with over 130 participants. The draft ECAP was presented for the first time to the community on May 4, 2008. After the public presentation of the draft ECAP, it was available online for citizen review and comment until June 1st. Once all of the feedback is incorporated and the draft is completed, the ECAP will presented to the Evanston City Council for adoption.
The nine focus areas of the ECAP are: Transportation and Land Use, Energy Efficiency & Buildings, Renewable Energy Resources, Waste Reduction & Recycling, Forestry, Prairie & Carbon Offsets, Food Production & Distribution, Policy & Research, Education & Engagement and Communications & Public Relations.
Additional Climate Change Resources:
US Environmental Protection Agency
International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
National Academies of Science 2008 edition of Understanding and Responding to Climate Change
Natural Resources Defense Council
Consumer Reports/Greener Choices Global Warming Solutions Center
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY