Definition

A Climate Action Plan is a detailed and strategic framework for measuring, planning, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related climatic impacts. Municipalities design and utilize climate action plans as customized roadmaps for making informed decisions and understanding where and how to achieve the largest and most cost-effective emissions reductions that are in alignment with other municipal goals. Climate action plans, at a minimum, include an inventory of existing emissions, reduction goals or targets, and analyzed and prioritized reduction actions. Ideally, a climate action plan also includes an implementation strategy that identifies required resources and funding mechanisms. – City of Burlington, Vermont

Example used in a sentence

Arlington County recently established a Climate Action Plan to define its strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Why is this definition important?

Climate action is a long-term goal and like any other difficult goal, achieving it requires an organized plan with measurable key performance indicators (KPIs). A climate action plan is designed with that in mind. This is especially important when projects can range in 5, 10, even 30 year plans when many people will work on the same plan and an organization’s staff will likely experience personnel transitions over the life of the project.