Greater Greater Washington notes that the Washington Council of Governments has released a climate change report detailing ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the region.
Climate experts from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) are briefing the DC Council tomorrow about COG’s Climate Change Report. Produced by a steering committee co-chaired by Councilmember Mary Cheh, MoCoCo’s Nancy Floreen and Fairfax’s Gerry Connolly (likely the next Congressman from NoVa), the report gives 78 recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the Washington region.
After listing the clear and overwhelming evidence for global warming caused by human greenhouse gas emissions, it divides recommendations into those for energy consumption (heating, lighting, commercial operations, residential appliances, etc.) and transportation and land use. Since 30% of emissions come from transportation (the report claims), 30% of the recommendations cover reducing vehicle emissions and VMT.
Transportation-related recommendations include incentives for buying hybrids, shifting short trips from driving to other modes, promoting car sharing, mixed-use and transit-oriented development, transit expansion, bicycle and pedestrian paths, focusing new development around walkable areas, and more good ideas.
