1. Climate Action Metrics & Strategy
Climate Action Metrics & Strategy
Molly Saylor

2. Growth Projection Moderate Politics Current Population
Fort Collins, Colorado
Current Population
161,000 (2016)
Middle of U.S.
Moderate Politics
Growth Projection
33% increase from 2005 population by 2020
250,000 in 2040
Slide 2 – Introduction to Fort Collins – keep brief- 30 seconds
Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Northern Colorado and
Population of approximately 161,000 people (2016)
Growth Projection: Increase by 33% from the 2005 population by 2020,
Preparing for approximately 260,000+ people by 2050
College town, Colorado State University enrollment of 33,198 students
Our form of government is Council/Manager, with 6 district council members who serve a 4-year term and a Mayor elected for a 2-year term
4 municipal utilities (electric, stormwater, water, wastewater)
Co-owners with 3 other cities in Platte River
Overall a thriving community with many awards:
Number 4 ranking for Community Overall Well-Being in the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index
Innovation economy – key to achieving these goals:
Smithsonian – about clean energy AND about the collaboration
Cost effective, pragmatic approach in our DNA.
Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community
Bronze Walk Friendly Community
Colorado State University
33,198 students (2016)

3. -9 C -4.5 C Neutral + 4.5 C + 9 C Snowball Earth Last Ice Age
Average during pre-industrial times
Current path:
years from now
Above 6 C, functionally uninhabitable, no agriculture,
extreme sea level rise
Explain the magnitude of temperature increase/decrease to set up the 2 degrees target. Mention here some of the predicted impacts for Florida (coastal flooding, stronger storms, sea level rise) and Colorado (wildfires, heat waves, flooding)
Data from:
IPCC

4. -9 C C Neutral C C
Cities must decrease emissions by 80% from 2005 levels by 2050 to keep global temperature increase below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F)
Introduce the 2 degrees concept for cities

5. of the world’s population
Why cities?
70%
of global GHGs
1/2
of the world’s population
80%
of global GDP
2/3
of the world’s energy
Discuss why cities

6. Local government is where it’s at!
Why cities?
70%
of global GHGs
1/2
of the world’s population
80%
of global GDP
2/3
of the world’s energy
Local government is where it’s at!

7. Our Climate Action Journey
Population – up ~25%
GMP – up ~30%
Metric Tons CO2e
Fort Collins is answering the call to action by setting aggressive climate action goals around which strategy and metrics have been developed to track progress.

8. Carbon emissions Investments Triple bottom line impacts
What We Measure and Why
Carbon emissions Investments Triple bottom line impacts
Metric tons of CO2e
Benefit to Cost Ratio
$/GHG
Improvements to health
$ saved on health care
Jobs created
Triple Bottom Line means looking at impacts and opportunities for our community beyond the traditional economic bottom line. A thriving community needs all three- economic health, social sustainability, and environmental health

9. Communicating Results
Challenges:
Static, point-in-time
Limited opportunities to engage
Carbon-focused… but climate work does more!
Annual Reports Climate Action Dashboard

10. Communicating Results
Annual Reports Climate Action Dashboard

11. https://ftcollinscap.clearpointstrategy.com/
Cue to switch to dashboard live demo

12. Communicating Results
Challenges:
Timing
Multiple phases necessary
Metrics lead the story
Opportunities:
Lessons from each iteration
Flip script, lead with story
Annual Reports Climate Action Dashboard

13. Understand the whole CAP story
Where we are heading
Understand the whole CAP story
In the year 2020, when we talk about how we invested X millions of dollars in climate action and reduced emissions by X tons, what else can we say about how that work transformed our community? Metrics that show the amount of clean energy jobs created, emergency room visits avoided due to better air quality, and improvements in low-income housing due to energy efficiency upgrades. That is the vision for how we round out this dashboard and make it a complete story about Fort Collins climate action work. First we need the story, then we can figure out the metrics to support that story.

14. If this is Fort Collins in the future, what role did our climate action work play in making this happen?

15. Understand the whole CAP story
Where we are heading
Understand the whole CAP story
Develop economic and social metrics to support story
One goal is for people to engage, both in the dashboard and in climate action work. The last step is figuring out how to utilize a personal tool.

16. Understand the whole CAP story
Where we are heading
Understand the whole CAP story
Develop economic and social metrics to support story
Develop MyCAP – CAP for community member action
One goal is for people to engage, both in the dashboard and in climate action work. The last step is figuring out how to utilize a personal tool.

17. Timing is important but not everything, just get started!
Key Takeaways
Cities can make a difference on climate action (and we can use metrics to prove it!)
Timing is important but not everything, just get started!
Figure out the story first, the metrics will follow