The Draft Community Climate Action Plan was released at the Climate Action Showcase on Saturday, March 18, 2023. To view the draft plan and make comments please click here.
This Erie County Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is focused on creating opportunities to address climate change while also protecting our residents, creating jobs, protecting productive farmland, and addressing issues of inequity. This Plan outlines goals, strategies, and actions that the County can take, whether directly or indirectly, to address this important issue.
Community Climate Action Plan - Timeline
In 2017, the County Executive issued an order directing all County departments to aggressively reduce GHG emissions. Erie County’s Climate Action & Sustainability Plan (CASP), adopted in 2019, was written primarily to reduce the carbon footprint of the County’s internal operations. Erie County has been implementing the CASP and has been recognized both nationally and state-wide as a leader on climate action, receiving its designation as a Certified Silver Climate Smart Community and a Clean Energy Community
To better address climate change and reduce GHG emissions in the community, Erie County formed the Community Climate Change Task Force as the official advisory board on the issue and established Erie County Climate Action as the County’s planning process to create this equity-focused CCAP. The Task Force is a committee of the Erie County Environmental Management Council (EMC), which advises the County on environmental issues, and includes representatives from community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, youth groups, colleges, municipalities, business representatives, transportation organizations, a utility company, libraries, and museums.
Community Climate Action Plan - Scoping Document
Between March 2021 and February 2023, Erie County coordinated the development of the CCAP with over 100 volunteers from the Task Force and the community. The chapters were written to include goals, strategies, and tangible action items that Erie County can take to reduce GHG emissions.