Nurture Nature Center has been assisting the City of Easton with its climate action planning and commitments since joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/) in 2016. NNC has led greenhouse gas inventories for the City in 2017, 2018 and 2022, a vulnerability assessment in 2018, an emissions reduction target in 2018, a Climate Action Plan (CAP) adopted in 2021, and most recently, a Climate Adaptation Plan (addendum to the CAP) and a revised emissions reduction target in 2024.
Last week, the City of Easton adopted the revised CAP which includes a new appendix for the adaptation plan which provides goals, objectives, and strategies for ensuring our community is prepared for potential impacts of climate change. Importantly, the revised CAP updates the emissions reduction target to net zero by 2050 (changed from 80% reduction by 2050). This revised target (net-zero by 2050) is a science-based target that gives the world a much better chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C. Net zero means the city will work to reduce emissions as much as possible, and then reabsorb the remaining unavoidable emissions by purchasing high-integrity carbon credits or other expanding other carbon sinks like urban forests. The 2022 greenhouse gas emissions inventory reports a total of 271,538 MTCO2e, a reduction of 29,023 MTCO2e or -9.66% from the updated 2018 baseline.
To continue to reduce emissions and enhance sustainability as much as possible, Easton will need to use emerging and improving technologies and new funding opportunities at the local, state, and federal levels between now and 2050. Committing to net-zero means that the city can put itself in a more favorable position to take advantage of those developments and start laying the groundwork and infrastructure that future innovations will require. Check out the revised Climate Action and Adaptation Plan here.
Know a middle or high school age youth who is interested in climate, sustainability and the environment? Let them know about our 5th Annual Youth Climate Summit! This free 2 day event (April 19 and 20) is packed with fun, inspiring, and interactive sessions. Youth will discover their climate superpowers, hear inspiring stories of youth from around the region, get to plant trees and ride bikes, and explore local organizations in a climate fair. Find out more and register here https://nurturenaturecenter.org/youth-climate-summit-of-the-lehigh-valley/
For more information about these efforts please email Kate at ksemmens@nurturenature.org.