Sam Deacon
Climate Action Plan: Brighter Future
Lancaster PA’s climate action plan sets out to make the city cleaner and equipped for climate change issues.
Lancaster PA is creating a plan to help aid the very real threat of climate change and other important environmental hazards that will surely be of importance if left unchecked. Weather changes being a prime one. These significant improvements will not only improve the lives of many, but it will also help build infrastructure. Some of the next steps that this plan is aiming for is to create a group and committee to further the conversation and really push things forward. This plan will be fit into longstanding municipal functions. Another integral part of this plan is to stay open and transparent with the community. Keeping the public informed of changes within community is always a must do if you are enacting policy. At the heart of it, this plan is meant to create a better living space for the citizens of Lancaster and to make sure the future is bright for our environment. To understand this plan better it is important to know of the specific details on what is being implemented. These details will paint a better picture of what is actually going on.
Details
Climate Action Plan has set its main focus to reducing greenhouse gases and eliminating waste within the city. However, the improvements are not limited, According to Mayor, Danene Sorace, these improvements include the managing of:
- Cities management of water
- Wastewater
- Energy
- Waste
- Stormwater
- Office culture
- Municipal vehicle fleet
- Carbon offset programs
“By 2025, emissions will be reduced by 79% with 1% in carbon offsets (80% of emissions), and in 2035 emissions will be reduced 80% with 10% in carbon offsets (90% of emissions)” (cityoflancasterpa.com).
“The City of Lancaster’s core mission is to serve its residents, businesses, and environment. Throughout its nearly 300- year history, the City has proven resilient and adaptive to rapid shifts in industry, transportation, and technology, among other changing conditions. This flexibility has been a vital asset, which is evident in Lancaster’s adaptive reuse of historic structures, and it will be key to the City’s efforts to prepare for the effects of climate change. Decreasing emissions can lead to increased prosperity, and adapting to extreme weather will require improved infrastructure. Building on the spirit of ingenuity that has always helped drive Lancaster’s success, the City’s Municipal Operations Climate Action Plan affirms a renewed commitment to the future of Lancaster City” (cityoflancasterpa.com)
Local City’s Similar Plan
Similarly, Philadelphia also has a climate plan in the form of the “Climate Action Playbook.”
- “Today, the Office of Sustainability released a draft of the Philadelphia Climate Action Playbook, a guide to actions the City is taking to reduce carbon pollution and adapt to a hotter, wetter future. The Playbook is a one-stop resource for anyone interested in learning more about City climate action, how climate change will impact Philadelphia, where our carbon pollution comes from, and where we need to go further to achieve our goals” (Jordan, 2021)
Importance
The issue of climate change is not going away and Lancaster is one of many cities within Pennsylvania trying to help. These plans of action tackle so many important factors such as water cleanliness, carbon emissions, energy, and much more. Creating these programs is crucial in preventing future problems involved with our ever-changing climate as well as the cleanliness and safety within our cities. It is crucial that we as citizens pay attention to the real threat of climate change and make sure to stay educated and up to date on our states policy decisions regarding this important topic.
Reference Page
Jordan, H. (2021, January 15). The Philadelphia Climate Action Playbook: A Guide to how the city is responding to climate change: Office of Sustainability. City of Philadelphia. Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.phila.gov/2021-01-15-cap/
Climate action. City of Lancaster, PA. (2021, December 16). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://cityoflancasterpa.com/climate/
Pa climate action plan. Department of Environmental Protection. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.dep.pa.gov/Citizens/climate/Pages/PA-Climate-Action-Plan.aspx