The City of Boulder has once again been recognized as a global leader on environmental action and transparency by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). This international non-profit reviews environmental data provided by local governments to evaluate how well cities are tackling the climate crisis while being transparent about their progress. Boulder is among 122 cities around the world ranked on CDP’s 2022 Cities A List, marking the fourth year the city has received this recognition.
Protecting Our Planet
To score an A, cities must have a rigorous community-wide emissions inventory, set ambitious climate goals, make progress toward achieving those goals and publish plans that demonstrate a path toward climate resilience. Boulder reports its detailed emissions inventory and scientifically aligned targets, along with city plans and actions that address the climate crisis.
“Cities have a responsibility to act on our changing climate, and transparent reporting is part of that. Thoughtful tracking of our local progress in emissions reductions and building resilience is essential in determining where we need to expand or accelerate our efforts to prepare for the challenges ahead. Participating in this project is also an opportunity to share strategies with other cities, encouraging a global effort to change systems at the root of climate change.” explained Jonathan Koehn, Director of Climate Initiatives.
The community’s 2021 greenhouse gas emissions data will be made available on the city’s Boulder Measures webpage next month. Data from previous years is already accessible on a series of dashboards that track local renewable electricity generation, waste diversion and emissions.
CDP is a global non-profit that drives companies, cities, and governments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. More than 18,700 companies and 1,100 cities, states and regions disclosed environmental data through CDP this year, making its platform one of the richest sources of information globally on how companies and governments are driving environmental change.