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Climate Action Toolkit
We created a toolkit organized into six steps, each step represents a key component of effective climate action planning to help you take meaningful action at your own pace. Brand new to climate action? Start with Step 1. Already have plans or climate goals? Start with Step 4. Ready to act now? Go straight to Step 6.
📈 Review Your GHG Emissions
Understand where your community's greenhouse gas emissions come from. Use that to identify the largest contributing sectors so you can focus and prioritize efforts where they will have the greatest impact.
Why This Step Matters
Your greenhouse gas inventory provides the foundation for climate planning by identifying major emission sources, supporting informed decisions, and helping measure future progress.
Key Actions
- Review your community's GHG inventory.
- Identify the largest emitting sectors.
- Determine where your municipality has the greatest influence.
- Select 2–3 priority focus areas.
👉 Pro Tips
Use the GHG emissions inventory as a decision-making tool. If buildings make up 60% of emissions, most of your early strategies should address energy efficiency, electrification, and solar.
Start with the top two sectors for the greatest impact. They usually represent 70–90% of local emissions. Build your first set of strategies around them.
Tools
Interactive emissions data for all 59 cities and towns.
Fillable table to translate emissions data into percentage of total emissions, top sources, and local influence.
Want a Deeper Dive?
EPA – Local Climate Action Framework: A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide
The U.S. EPA's archived 2017 guide helps local governments plan, implement, track, and fund community-wide climate mitigation and adaptation projects. The link goes directly to the "Develop GHG Inventory" step.
🔍 Review Existing Progress
Conduct a review to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities within existing plans, policies, and programs.
⛈ Assess Climate Risks & Hazards
Identify the climate hazards that present the greatest risk to your community and understand who and what is most vulnerable.
🎯 Develop Strategies & Actions
Prioritize practical strategies and actions that can reduce emissions, improve resilience, and support community goals.
📄 Document Climate Actions
Organize your goals, strategies, and actions into a clear implementation roadmap.
🌱 Begin Implementation
Prioritize projects, assign responsibilities, and begin implementing and measuring progress.
The 6 Core Steps for a Sustainable Municipality
📈 Review Your GHG Emissions
Understand where emissions come from and identify your greatest opportunities.
🔍 Existing Progress Review
Conduct a review to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities of existing plans.
⛈ Assess Climate Risks & Hazards
Identify the hazards that present the greatest risk to your community.
🎯 Develop Strategies & Actions
Prioritize practical strategies where you can reduce emissions and improve resilience.
📄 Document Climate Actions
Organize your goals, strategies, and actions into a clear implementation roadmap.
🌱 Begin Implementation
Prioritize projects, assign responsibilities, and begin measuring progress.