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<br /> 2. SCOPE OF A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
<br /> Before launching into the planning process, review this section for useful background information to take into
<br /> consideration when starting to define the scope of your sustainability plan.
<br /> 2.1 SUSTAINABILITY PLANS VS. CLIMATE ACTION PLANS
<br /> Local governments considering their approach to responding to climate change and addressing sustainability
<br /> issues have several options. The most common approaches are either a sustainability plan or a climate action
<br /> plan. Although the two are similar, they differ in scope and overall approach to framing the issues. A sustainabil-
<br /> ity plan can be considered a climate action plan with a broader, more holistic view on community sustainability.
<br /> Climate Action Plans
<br /> A climate action plan focuses primarily on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions
<br /> resulting from both the local government's operations and from the community as a whole. It typically
<br /> includes an analysis of the opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from energy
<br /> use in transportation, solid waste disposal, buildings, lighting, and waste water treatment and water
<br /> delivery. Some local governments also include environmental opportunities beyond reducing energy
<br /> consumption—such as the development of renewable energy resources, the conservation of natural
<br /> resources, forestry (urban and beyond), agriculture, and green jobs. A climate action plan often ad-
<br /> dresses the co-benefits of its initiatives, such as improving air quality and public health or reducing
<br /> stormwater runoff. However, a climate action plan does not explicate these other issues as thoroughly
<br /> as a sustainability plan. For more information on climate action planning, visit ICLEI's website:
<br /> www.icleiusa.org/action-center/planninq.
<br /> Sustainability Plans
<br /> A sustainability plan typically includes an overarching goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in addition
<br /> to addressing a set of environmental, economic, and social equity goals. It takes into account the interrelated
<br /> issues of climate change, population change, land use, infrastructure, natural resource management, quality
<br /> of life, public health, and economic development. Both short-term and long-term measures that can quantifi-
<br /> ably impact these issues should be included in a sustainability plan. A sustainability plan should not only in-
<br /> clude a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate other environmental issues, but also goals to
<br /> equitably improve land use practices and infrastructure such as by increasing open space, reducing storm-
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