Kyoto going Local: Boulder Citizens’ Fight to Banish Coal and Meet GHG Reduction Goals

While the US federal government has yet to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and accept the international goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, localities have taken climate change into their own hands. Boulder, Colorado is one community on a mission to reduce GHG emissions. The city made a 2002 pledge to meet the Kyoto Protocol and has experienced a recent push from unofficial community actors to do live up to it.

In an effort to satisfy their city’s goal of reducing GHG emissions to 7% below 1990 levels, a group of local climate scientists, renewable energy experts, green-building consultants, land-use planners, policy specialists and zero-energy architects have joined forces to inspire Boulder leaders to adopt greener policies.

The Boulder Climate Action Network offers new, action-oriented solutions to GHG problems that they feel are necessary supplements the existing Climate Action Plan. One facet of improvements unique to the Boulder Climate Action Network’s approach is their emphasis on seriously increasing community involvement. Member Paul Sheldon of Natural Capitalism Solutions said of their intentions, “People are chomping at the bit to do something …we need an authentic social movement.”

One issue in which the Boulder Climate Action Network is heavily involved is a local effort to “hybridize” Boulder’s Valmont power plant. Much of the community supports the coal burning power plant hybridzing to reduce GHG emissions and other pollutants released by burning only coal and Boulder Climate Action Network wants to see it make very drastic changes. Instead of simply adding solar panels, the group is rallying to have the plant converted to run on biomass.

Boulder Climate Action Network is doing a great thing by fostering community based action to curb GHG emissions. Coal burning power plants play a significant role in the increasing threat of global climate change, and community action is a great way to influence policy as it relates to such dire issues. Our nation needs groups like this to challenge policymakers and planners to develop more tools to combat emission and inspire the entire nation to meet Kyoto standards.

The conversion of Valmont power plant to biomass does have its problems though. Burning biomass creates less energy by mass than burning coal. Significant costs are associated with converting the coal based plant for wood burning, as well.