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Program Design Recommendations he workgroup recommends creating an action - oriented program for local governments in Minnesota with the following goals: • Provide a "Pathway to Sustainability" that is cost- effective, pragmatic, and achievable for all cities. • Achieve meaningful reductions in greenhouse gases and other positive environmental outcomes. • Provide assistance for local governments to achieve best practices in energy use reduction and sustainable development. • Identify specific existing state agency staff and others who are committed to and technically able to help cities implement each specific best practice. • Promote innovation. • Inspire and assist residents, businesses, and community institutions to take action. • Recognize local governments for their past accomplishments and their new efforts spurred by the program. The Workgroup Committee and Advisory Committee discussed whether to expand the program to sustainability questions beyond greenhouse gas emissions. The consensus was that local governments would find it valuable to include a broader range of sustainability issues, and thus the program should be expanded, but still retain its primary focus on greenhouse gas reductions. The following represent specific program design recommendations. Best practices should be straightforward and selected using simple criteria The workgroup developed the following criteria in order to select best practices: 1. Have potential to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gases and other positive environmental outcomes. Local governments should not spend scarce resources on actions that have minimal impact on achieving energy reductions or other outcomes. 2. Be appropriate actions for local government. Best practices cannot be implemented unless local government can control or predictably influence actions within its territory. 3. Simple. Maintain ease of participation and implementation for all cities, especially for smaller and midsize and outstate cities. 4. Proven. A "consensus of experts" in development of best practices will be required for the program. 5. Practical. Focus on practical, cost-effective strategies that give the most "bang for the buck." 6. Effective. Focus on strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and achieve other city sustainability goals. 7. Save money. Saving resources can save money; this program will focus on efforts that accomplish both. Program should be built around required and optional best practices in four areas Best practices, sometimes referred to as best management practices (BMPs), are actions that have been demonstrated to help communities achieve sustainability goals. A best practice must be an implementation strategy designed to achieve outcomes. These strategies generally fall into four areas: 1. Encouragement/education: using publicity efforts, social marketing, appealing to economic self-interest where applicable, or similar efforts that attempt to change behavior or influence decisions of city staff, residents, or businesses to meet sustainability goals. Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program Proposal 9