Nurture Nature Center Supports Updates to Easton’s Climate Action Plan

By KATE SEMMENS

Since joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in 2016, Nurture Nature Center has assisted the City of Easton with its climate action planning and commitments.

NNC has led greenhouse gas inventories for the City in 2017, 2018, and 2022, a vulnerability assessment in 2018, an emissions reduction target in 2018, a Climate Action Plan (CAP) adopted in 2021, and most recently, a Climate Adaptation Plan (addendum to the CAP) and a revised emissions reduction target in 2024.

Revised CAP adopted

In March of 2024, the City of Easton adopted the revised CAP, which includes a new appendix for the adaptation plan that provides goals, objectives, and strategies for ensuring our community is prepared for the potential impacts of climate change. Importantly, the revised CAP updates the emissions reduction target to net zero by 2050 (changed from 80% reduction by 2050). This revised target (net zero by 2050) is a science-based target that gives the world a better chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C. Net zero means the city will work to reduce emissions as much as possible and then reabsorb the remaining unavoidable emissions by purchasing high-integrity carbon credits or expanding other carbon sinks like urban forests. The 2022 greenhouse gas emissions inventory reports a total of 271,538 MTCO2e, a reduction of 29,023 MTCO2e or -9.66% from the updated 2018 baseline.

To continue to reduce emissions and enhance sustainability as much as possible, Easton will need to use emerging and improving technologies and new funding opportunities at the local, state, and federal levels between now and 2050. Committing to net zero means that the city can put itself in a more favorable position to take advantage of those developments and start laying the groundwork and infrastructure that future innovations will require. Check out the revised Climate Action and Adaptation Plan here.

For more information about these efforts, please email Kate at ksemmens@nurturenature.org.

This piece was initially published on Nurture Nature’s website and is shared here with permission as part of Easton Post’s goal to amplify significant community efforts and voices.