The City of Aspen first adopted a climate action plan in 2007, with a target of an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. City staff has promoted energy efficiency, increased mass transit and supported a bike share program. These actions have reduced emissions. But Aspen’s population has grown, and those reductions have been somewhat lackluster.
“Even with a ton of action, 10 years of really driven action in Aspen, with our growth, it only reduced emissions 7 percent,” explained Chris Menges with the city’s climate action department.
That’s only a fraction of the ultimate goal. So Menges and his coworkers have developed a new, bigger plan, with 46 action items, to start really tightening the belt on emissions. Laura Armstrong said one approach is to work collaboratively with other governments, businesses, and utilities in the region.
“We recognize that for these actions to be realized, it’s going to take all of us working together,” she said.
