“Carbon Free Boston” — How One US City Can Reduce GHG Emissions and Improve Quality of Life
January 31, 2019 | Cities, Climate Innovation Laboratory Cities, Innovation Network for Communities, Urban Climate Innovationby
This new report by the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, staffed by INC's John Cleveland, analyzes, quantifies, and prioritizes strategies and actions for reducing GHG emissions and explicitly addresses the potential impacts of different policies on social equity.
From the report introduction:
"The report’s analysis makes clear the great magnitude of the change needed to achieve carbon neutrality. It requires an electricity grid that is powered by renewable sources of energy and a large-scale reduction in the use of oil and natural gas for transportation, space heating, and hot water. It requires immediate and dramatic efforts to make buildings more energy efficient. It entails replacing travel in personal vehicles with greater use of public transportation, cycling and walking, while eliminating the use of internal combustion engines for remaining vehicles. And it necessitates sending zero-waste to landfills and incinerators. These necessary achievements will require innovation and transformation in our city’s core systems. And we will need to make these changes in a way that is cost effective, that equitably distributes benefits and burdens, and that does not unduly disrupt ongoing operations."
-- Amos B. Hostetter, Jr., Co-Chair, Boston Green Ribbon Commission Vice Chair, Boston Green Ribbon Commission and Trustee, Barr Foundation
-- Mindy Lubber, Vice Chair, Boston Green Ribbon Commission, CEO & President, Ceres
