CUYAHOGA COUNTY Climate Change Action Plan May 15th 2019 “Together We Thrive” Message from Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish Dear Resident of Cuyahoga County, Climate Change is real and it is local. The recent UN report that 1 million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction because of human activity is only the latest, frankly, horrifying development. But the good news in that report and in other data is that communities can take local action that can result in positive change. We can stop some of the momentum. Where we cannot change the trajectory, we can make our communities and our residents more resilient. That is what this Climate Action Plan is – our road map for the work that lies ahead. One of the most important things we must do is recognize and focus on the fact that climate change effects our most vulnerable – the poor, the very young, the elderly. These are some of the very same people the County provides benefits and services to every day. The challenge is enormous. To meet it we are focusing on five areas: energy; land use; transportation; ecosystem and health. In each of these areas we brought people and organizations together in a true collaboration. We cannot fight this fight in silos. There is a lot of work to do. Cuyahoga County will not solve the ills of global climate change by ourselves of course. But we will do our part. This plan is one that will evolve as we learn and gain experience in the fight to keep our County safe for our children and for generations to come. Very truly yours, Armond Budish County Executive Cuyahoga County This page intentionally left blank. 2 3 “Together We Thrive” Acknowledgments Focus Area Groups and Supporting Agencies Cuyahoga County Sustainability Department Health 2079 E. 9th Street, Rm 8-304 Energy Cleveland, Ohio 44115 • Cuyahoga County Board of Health (216) 443-3785 • Cuyahoga County Department of Economic • MetroHealth Development • University Hospitals Sustainability Department • The City of Cleveland Office of Sustainability • Cuyahoga Community College Mike Foley, Director Land Use • McDonald Hopkins, LLC David Nader, Sustainability Outreach Specialist • Cleveland State University • Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Stephanie Choi, Sustainability Coordinator • Case Western University • Northeast Ohio Regional Coordinating Agency • Better Together Solar • Trust for Public Land Project Team • Yellowlite Solar • Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District • Keybank • Cleveland Metroparks Mike Foley, Director • Greater Cleveland Partnership/Council of Smaller • Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Stephanie Choi, Sustainability Coordinator Enterprises Management Robert Brand, Ph.D, Watershed Program Manager, Cuyahoga County Board of Health • Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority • University at Buffalo, SUNY Hannah C. Kiraly, Intern, GIS and Planning, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission • Sierra Club Daniel Meaney, Manager, Information and Research, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission • Green Strategies, LLC Special Thank you to Cuyahoga County James Sonnhalter, Manager, Planning Services, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission • Emerald Cities Administration and Council for their support and • Gund Foundation leadership on climate action. Additional Acknowledgements • Cleveland Foundation Mark Christie, Director, Office of Emergency Management Transportation Brooke Potts, Environmental Specialist, Office of Emergency Management Heat Map Graphics by Xin Hong, Kent State University • Northeast Ohio Regional Coordinating Agency Various Photographs taken by Cuyahoga County Communications Department and Erik Drost (NOACA) • City of Cleveland Office of Sustainability • Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority • Clevelanders for Public Transit • University Circle, Inc. • GreenCityBlueLake / Cleveland Museum of Natural History Natural Systems • Cuyahoga County Board of Health • Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works • Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District • Holden Forests & Gardens • Cleveland Water • Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District • Ohio Sea Grant 4 CUYAHOGA COUNTY CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN 5 Table of Contents Introduction . 9 Focus Areas . .17 Energy . .19 Transportation. 23 Natural Systems . .29 Health. 35 Land Use . .43 Next Steps . .49 Appendix A . .53 Appendix B . .61 6 CUYAHOGA COUNTY CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN 7 Introduction Introduction: Overview of Cuyahoga County Overview of Cuyahoga County Climate Change Action Plan Call to Action When President Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Local climate change takes place within the context Agreement in 2017, Cuyahoga County knew it was of global climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) time to step up its effort in fighting climate change. In emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2), a potent GHG, has July 2017, Executive Budish signed on to the Global increased from 280 parts per million (ppm) in the Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, joining local pre-industrial era to 400 ppm today, a level that the governments across the world, including the City of earth has not seen in at least 800,000 years. This is Cleveland, in a commitment to measure, track, and caused primarily through the burning of fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and, prepare for which emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As the impacts of climate change, especially on those who we burn more coal, natural gas, and oil, the “blanket” are most vulnerable. We already know that the impacts of GHGs in the atmosphere gets thicker, and the earth of climate change are here in Northeast Ohio with gets hotter.2 increased temperatures and precipitation, changes to ice cover on Lake Erie, and changes to our growing season.1 Greenhouse Gas Effect Diagram Climate change affects the natural, built, and social systems we rely on individually and through their connections to one another. These interconnected systems are increasingly vulnerable to cascading impacts that are often difficult to predict, threatening essential services within and beyond the Nation’s borders. -National Climate Assessment, 2018 DRAFT May 20, 2019 Source: CUYAHOGA COUNTY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 9 Introduction: Climate Change Indicators and IPCC’s Report on Climate Change Indicators in Climate Change Indicators in Cuyahoga County Cuyahoga County Continued... The main climate indicators in our region are increased temperature. These drastic changes in climate impact More in-depth information on climate impacts and temperatures and precipitation. The graphs below the way we plan and live within our region. general best practices for mitigation and adaptation show increases in average annual precipitation and in the Midwestern region can be found in the National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 from the U.S Global Change Research Program. Annual Average Precipitation illustrates the three climate periods including: 100-Year If We Do Not Act Now... Average, 30-Year Average, and the Most Recent 10-Year The exponential increase of GHG emissions into Average. our atmosphere has warmed the earth 1°C (1.8°F) since the dawn of the industrial revolution. Global Annual Average Inches per emissions continue to rise as the energy sector is Precipitation period still predominately fossil-fuel based. In addition, transportation-related emissions are increasing. The 100 Year Average 38.4 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 30 Year Average 40.2 projects up to 5.8°C (10.44°F) of warming by the end of 10 Year Average 42.9 the century if drastic measures to mitigate emissions are not taken.3 The 2016 Paris Agreement set a goal to limit warming to at most 2°C (3.6 °F) within the century, with a more Annual Average Temperature ambitious limit of 1.5°C (2.7°F). This set the United illustrates the three climate State’s goal to 26-28% emissions reduction below periods including: 100-Year 2005 levels by 2025. However, the IPCC’s latest report, Average, 30-Year Average, released in October 2018, details the difference in and the Most Recent 10-Year climatic changes from 1.5°C (2.7°F) to 2°C (3.6°F) of Average. warming.4 Annual Average Average The report makes clear that half a degree matters, and Temperature Temperature we must keep global temperatures from rising above 100 Year Average 49.1 1.5°C (2.7°F) to avoid catastrophic changes to our climate. This requires reducing global greenhouse gas 30 Year Average 49.3 emissions 45% below 2010 levels by 2030 and reaching 10 Year Average 50 net zero emissions by 2050.5 Source: World Resources Institute 10 INTRODUCTION CUYAHOGA COUNTY CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN 11 Introduction:Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reduction Goals Cuyahoga County Greenhouse Gas From 2010-17, energy related emissions have decreased from 59% of County total emissions to Emissions Inventory 52%. However, transportation-related emissions have As the first step in the County’s commitment to increased from 20% to 24% of County total emissions. the Global Covenant of Mayors, the Department of Sustainability worked with consultants from the Brendle Emissions by Sector Group, to conduct our first Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory. The inventory was conducted between 2010 November 2017 – June 2018 and collected 2010-17 26.1 MT CO2e Total Emissions data for the four main greenhouse gas emitting sectors in the region: energy, transportation, industrial processes, and waste. A summary of the findings is included here, and the complete inventory can be found on the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission’s Website. Summary of Key Findings The Global