Using modeling and mainstreaming, Fort Collins established its strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, showing you don’t need to be a big city to achieve big climate results.

Fort Collins is punching above its weight. For a city with just 164,000 residents, it has one of the most ambitious climate action plans in the USA, with goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, 80% by 2030, and to be carbon neutral by 2050. The city council unanimously adopted the goals in 2015 and created the framework, budget, staff capacity, and metrics to implement the plan.

To plan investments and calculate greenhouse gas emissions reductions measures over time, the city built an in-house model and has invested more than $12 million to date. The city is also aligning the decarbonization commitment with its zero-waste and sustainable mobility goals to maximize the efficiency of municipal services.

220,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent reduced since the start of the action plan

The challenge

Major forest fires and flooding in 2012 and 2013 emphasized the vulnerability of Fort Collins to changing climatic conditions and extreme weather events. The city recognized this danger and has been an early advocate of action plans – their first was released in 1999.

Co-benefits

Economic Fort Collins businesses are saving an estimated $9.5 million annually from improved efficiencies created by the climate action plan.

Environmental Around 60% of solid waste is being diverted from the landfill, and public transit usage has doubled in the past 10 years, contributing to Fort Collins achieving more than half of its CO2 reduction goals by 2020.

Social In 2016, Fort Collins partnered with Grid Alternatives to develop a low-income community solar garden that will reduce the energy bills of 20 families.

About Fort Collins

Fort Collins is the most populous municipality of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. With a 2016 estimated population of 161,000, it is the fourth most populous city in Colorado after Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora. Fort Collins is a midsize college city, home to Colorado State University.

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