X.CCRP-Nick WarrenCity of Northampton Mail - Northampton DraftClimatePlanhttps://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=b9d2eb11a2&view=pt&search=all...
Chris Mason <cmason@northamptonma.gov>
Northampton Draft Climate Plan
1 messageNICHOLASWARREN<Warren4023@msn.com>Mon, Nov 11, 2019 at 4:48 PM To: "cmason@northamptonma.gov"<cmason@northamptonma.gov>
Dear Chris
I am unable to come to the Thursday meeting of the Energy and Sustainability Commission, so I would like to register a couple of comments to pass along to the Commission, in any form
that works for you and the Commission.
First,Ididattendoneofthecommunityworkshopsseveralmonthsagoandwasprettyunimpressedwiththe workshop facilitators who were contracted for this effort. So I was very gratified to see the very
detailed and comprehensive report. Great work on the part of everyone. Somecomments:Unless I am misreading the graph on page 47, it appears that the actual reduction in GHG by 2030 in
the high-case projection is only 41%, as acknowledged on p 45, somewhat below the 45% recommended by the IPPC. I think the solid black line in the graphs is misleading, in that it has
a steady negative slope. In reality,itneedsto'sag'inthemiddle,withmorethan halfofthenecessaryreductionsbeingachievedby the halfway point. None of the strategies could be considered 'low
hanging fruit', but it seems intuitive that it will get harder to reduce GHG emissions as time passes and the early adoption of strategies and technologies ispassed.I think that more
attention to metrics over shorter timelines would be useful. We need to see how the city is doing over 5, 7, 10 years to keep our noses to thegrindstone.Tomake thesemonumentalchanges,Northamptonwillneedmanyresourcesthatarenotfullyexploredin
thedocument.I do agree with CAN that it would be valuable to indicate the gravity of the problem by using words like 'crisis' and 'emergency' at key points in the document. The weighty
compiling of facts and strategies may turnoffthecasual reader,withoutthecrucialnatureofthisendeavorbeingcalledtoourattentionLikewise, I agree with the Tree Commission's comments about
urban trees. The tension between development,urbaninfill,andpreservationofmaturetreesneedsmoreattentionandstrategiesfor resolution
Again, I am very impressed with this document and hope that the Thursday meeting will help provide guidance in going forward.
Sincerely, Nick Warren1of111/12/2019, 9:51AM