As communities, we have the power to enable substantial changes that affect our quality of life and protect our planet from harm. Unfortunately — or fortunately, depending on where you live — these changes can be entirely dependent on municipal governments. At the local level, municipal governments call a majority of the shots.
The following are some of the ways local governments can guide positive changes that have shown real-world impacts, and actions that individuals can take to help advocate for local changes.
Where Local Government and Sustainability Intersect
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges the world faces right now is climate change. Despite the global attention, this is also a problem that threatens cities big and small, so there’s an onus on local governments to take action.
Thankfully, there is plenty that municipalities can do to enact positive change in this regard, and it all starts with setting achievable climate goals.
In the United States, many cities and states have been spearheading movements to set benchmarks for reducing carbon emissions (among other components of environmental change). These action plans provide blueprints for change and something to measure performance against. Strong goals are the backbones supporting all the other local initiatives that make a difference, including the ones below.
Improving Transportation Policies
Vehicles account for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions, but a shift to sustainable transportation practices stands to cut that amount down by a noticeable degree. Specifically, local policies can help fight climate change in this regard by:
- Expanding public transportation options: Public transport reduces the total number of drivers on the road and the use of harmful fossil fuels.
- Increasing bicycle accessibility: Similar to public transport, increased bicycle use can reduce the number of fuel-burning vehicles and their impacts.
- Promoting the use of electric vehicles: EVs limit fossil fuel use and local governments can make them a more attractive option by introducing incentives and financial benefits for their use.
Combined, these efforts can influence a local shift toward cleaner transportation options, which in turn, will reduce the impact that a municipality has on the environment.
Reducing Energy Consumption and Improving Building Designs
Localities, and cities especially, use a great deal of energy. Hence, they can achieve significant decreases in greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the amount of energy that they use.
Legislating and incentivizing the use of renewable power sources are starts that many city governments have already undertaken, while others have taken their efforts further by adopting LEED and EnergyStar certification standards for their buildings, bringing them in line with sustainable targets that reduce their drain on the environment.
Not only does the adoption of performance standards mandate energy efficiency, but it can also improve other measures of sustainability and quality of life. This is done by introducing minimum thresholds for water use efficiency, waste reduction, air quality, and the use of environmentally preferred building materials (recycled steel, wood, and more).
Making Living Affordable
Another climate-adjacent issue that municipalities have some control over is the lack of affordable living. In many areas, younger generations have been unable to purchase affordable housing. These individuals often have to find properties that are much farther out from the places that they work, increasing commutes and, as a result, harmful emissions.
In extreme cases, a lack of affordable housing can also have serious health effects on the populace. As people are priced out of decent dwellings, they may have to take refuge in unsafe, unsustainable buildings that have direct negative consequences for their wellbeing.
Municipalities may hold the cure, however, by reducing the regulatory barriers to creating affordable dwellings. Additionally, they can accelerate the push toward sustainable living targets by adopting measures to rehabilitate older buildings, therefore, creating more spaces for residents, and developing programs to match the neediest residents with a long-term place to live.
What Citizens Should Know
While municipal governments have a good deal of power over decisions that affect their localities’ environmental impacts, citizens must also involve themselves in the process by holding governments and organizations accountable for change.
Citizen action can take place in many forms. For starters, there’s direct involvement in the political process — participating in elections, voting for local officials with sound policies, volunteering on political campaigns, and more. Those wishing to advocate for more sustainable policies might also run for office themselves.
These types of engagements with local government are not always required from citizens. Instead, citizens can opt-out of the political process and attempt to affect change through non-profits and other civic organizations. This can be a useful strategy for rapidly addressing community issues when the government is dragging its heels.
Regardless of the specific path citizens choose to enact change, it’s incumbent upon them to stay informed. Keeping abreast of the issues that plague the world and local communities allows us all to make better decisions, especially in cases where green initiatives may be used to push counter-productive solutions.
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