Sustainability Matters: What is a Climate Action Plan?

By Robin Boles
Posted 10/23/24

As I write, parts of the South are still without safe water and other essential resources after not one but two deadly hurricanes in as many weeks.

If these types of weather events teach us …

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Sustainability Matters: What is a Climate Action Plan?

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As I write, parts of the South are still without safe water and other essential resources after not one but two deadly hurricanes in as many weeks.

If these types of weather events teach us anything, it should be that we all need to be prepared for the challenges and crises that arise from extreme weather. Maybe it doesn’t surprise you that our friends in Florida are recovering from a one-two punch, but Ashville, N.C., and other surrounding communities heavily affected by Helene are nearly 300 miles inland.

Here in the Midwest, we are also not strangers to the effects of too much rainfall at once. My neighbors in Martell can tell you how it felt when they couldn’t stop the flood waters from invading their homes. Unfortunately, extreme weather is on the rise and it’s not just on the coast.

Some folks might throw up their hands in defeat. What can we do? This is weather! How can we make a difference? But we can, and we should. And a Climate Action Plan (CAP) is how we make it happen.

What is a CAP? It’s a roadmap detailing specific actions that an entity will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and facilitate resiliency in the face of weather challenges or disasters.

A CAP provides clear, practical, and actionable steps to mitigate the causes of climate change. Further, creating a CAP offers the opportunity to identify and implement actions that will not only achieve significant greenhouse gas emissions but do it in a cost-effective manner. Creating and adhering to a CAP is the responsible action for any entity with eyes toward the future.

There are many groups and organizations that have CAPs, including federal government agencies – from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Department of Defense. Thirty-three states have CAPs, including Wisconsin. Many educational institutions have them too; UWRF is currently drafting theirs. Businesses and corporations have CAPs, including almost half of all Fortune 500 companies. And over 400 municipalities in the U.S. have CAPs, 10 of which are in Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, the City of River Falls is not one of them.

As you might know, River Falls has become a national leader in sustainability practices. Our LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified city hall and wide-spread participation in the River Falls Municipal Utilities (RFMU) Renewable Block Program are just two examples of our community’s commitment to sustainability.

Because of our city’s green energy leadership and our strong resident engagement, it is time for River Falls to create and adopt its own Climate Action Plan.

Please join me in urging our city leaders to commit resources to creating a CAP for the future of River Falls. To do this, consider providing a public comment at city council meetings or sending an email to the mayor and/or your council representative. Visit rfcity.org to find meeting details and contact info. (Can’t find what you’re looking for? Call 715/425-0900.)

By making our voices heard on this issue, we can make a difference!

I’d like to hear your thoughts about this or other sustainability issues. Reach me at roboles3@gmail.com with your comments and suggestions. 

Events:

UWRF’s Sustainability Speaker Series begins Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the River Falls Public Library with Angie Hong, a water resource educator, presenting “Conservation Success Stories from the St. Croix River Watershed.” The Dec. 5 series’ event features Dr. Terry Root, an internationally recognized environmentalist, sharing how we as individuals can help mitigate the climate crisis. This event is virtual only via the library’s Facebook or YouTube channels. Visit riverfallspubliclibrary.org for more info.

Sustainability Matters, Robin Boles, hurricanes, essential services, extreme weather, Climate Action Plan, resiliency, Wisconsin