On June 6, 2022, the Village Board approved a Climate Action Report from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Ad Hoc Working Group to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050.
The creation of the ad hoc working group stemmed from a February 18, 2020, Village proclamation urging local governments and municipalities to lead the global effort to fight climate change.
The Climate Action Report is the output of several months of analysis by the Working Group and is intended to serve as a guiding document that can inform implementation efforts and future climate/adaption/resiliency plans for longer-term implementation. The report establishes a greenhouse gas emissions baseline and sets high-level objectives to obtain the Village Board’s established greenhouse gas mitigation goals.
The Village Board adopted three specific objectives recommended by the Working Group:
- Convert 100% of electricity to renewable sources by 2030
- Reduce transportation emissions by 55% by 2030
- Reduce waste emissions by 66% by 2030
Implementing strategies and tactics that achieve the three objectives noted above will result in a 45% reduction of GHG emissions by 2030, as compared to the 2017 baseline year. The report organizes the proposed GHG mitigation efforts into four focus areas – energy, transportation, waste and ecosystem/food/goods and services. Along with the discussion of each focus area is an identification of the general resources that are needed to accompany the various strategies. You can read the full report here.
Residents can take actions now to help the Village reach these goals. For the energy goals, this includes switching to renewable energy sources, such as reducing energy usage, participating in the Community Solar Program and upgrading to energy efficient appliances. To reduce transportation emissions, residents can walk, bike or take public transportation, consider purchasing an electric vehicle and reduce vehicle idling. For the waste reduction goals, residents can improve their recycling literacy and make use of the Village’s no-cost compost program.
“Municipalities have an unparalleled opportunity to make changes that can transform local economies and positively impact peoples’ lives both locally, and even globally,” said Mayor Daniel C. Shapiro. “It is time for us to roll up our sleeves and get to work to preserve a future we can all be proud to pass along to our children and grandchildren.”
Members of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Ad Hoc Working Group include Trustee Mary Oppenheim (Chairperson), Trustee Elaine Jacoby, Sustainability Commission Chairperson Donald Anderson, Sustainability Commissioner William Mertes, Go Green Deerfield Chairperson Art Wilde, Go Green Deerfield Member Camilla Dadey, and Business Community Representative Victoria Street, Executive Director of the DBR Chamber of Commerce. The Mayor and Village Board thanked members of the Working Group for their efforts.