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Climate Recovery Ordinance
The Climate Recovery Ordinance (CRO) establishes Eugene's goals to reduce emissions. These goals establish a foundation for what actions will be needed to address climate change and reach our goals. Those actions are detailed in the Climate Action Plan 2.0 (CAP 2.0).
Climate Recovery Ordinance Goals
The Climate Recovery Ordinance includes four ambitious goals - two community goals and two City operations goals.
Community Goals
- Reduce community fossil fuel use by 50% of 2010 levels by 2030
- Reduce total community greenhouse gas emissions to an amount that is no more than the city of Eugene's average share of a global atmospheric greenhouse gas level of 350 ppm by 2100, which was estimated in 2016 to require an annual average emission reduction level of 7.6%
City Operation Goals
- All City of Eugene owned facilities and operations shall be carbon neutral by 2020, meaning no net release of greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduce the City of Eugene's use of fossil fuels by 50% compared to 2010 usage
Tracking Progress to Reduce Emissions
The City of Eugene conducts a bi-annual greenhouse gas inventory both for the City of Eugene organization as well as the broader community. This inventory measures greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorochemicals (PFCs), and hexafluoride as applicable per the Kyoto Protocol, and measures them in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e). All GHG calculations use the global warming potentials (GWP) as defined in the International Panel on Climate Change’s 5th Assessment Report (IPCC AR5).
The below graph compares Eugene’s measured greenhouse gas emissions from 2010-2017 against emissions from the inventory in 2019. The graph also shows what Eugene's will be if we continue making no changes (accounting for population growth), compared to what our emissions would be if we are able to meet the goals outlined in the climate recovery ordinance. The 2021 Community Greenhouse Gas inventory measures our most recent emissions within the geographic boundary of Eugene, Oregon.
Background
The City of Eugene is a national municipal leader in climate change policy, planning, and action.
- In 2006, the City developed the Sustainable Business Initiative.
- In 2010, Eugene created its first , joining a growing list of forward-thinking cities around the world that are addressing climate change and energy challenges through dedicated planning efforts.
- In 2014 the Eugene City Council took national leadership on climate action by adopting the Climate Recovery Ordinance, updated in 2016 to include some of the strongest greenhouse gas emission reduction goals in the nation.
- In 2019, the City of Eugene conducted robust community engagement to update the CEAP and published the Climate Action Plan 2.0.
Eugene continues to push forward in taking bold steps to address climate change.