The City of Aspen has big aspirations for climate action, and now officials think they have the tools to reach those goals.
About 10 years ago, the City of Aspen set goals of reducing emissions 30 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. There has been progress, but so far, the community as a whole has hit about a 7 percent reduction.
Officials with the city and the Community Office for Resource Efficiency worked with consultants to improve those numbers. They’ve developed what they are calling a “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Toolkit.” They say it will help Aspen move the needle on emissions.
Officials have also shared the 250 action items with Pitkin and Eagle counties and released the document publicly. It includes suggestions like, “Expand solar programs for low-income households.” It also ranks those actions according to effectiveness in reducing emissions.
A prioritized list of 30 steps will be included in an update to Aspen’s Climate Action Plan, which is expected to be released next month.