The Vermont Climate Pledge Coalition proudly proclaims – we are still in! Backed by the City of Burlington and other prominent business, non-profit, and municipal partners across the state, the Coalition is keeping Vermont on track to meet the targets set by the United States in the Paris Agreement: a 26-28% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 from 2005 levels. It’s also a way to hold Vermont accountable for its own ambitious clean energy goals: meeting “90% of Vermont’s energy needs from renewable sources while virtually eliminating reliance on oil” by 2050.
To join the Coalition, a Vermont business, institution, farm, municipality, or other organization simply needs to pledge or complete a greenhouse gas emissions-reducing action on the Coalition’s page on the Community Energy Dashboard. The Dashboard, developed by Vermont’s Energy Action Network, tracks these actions and allows participants to see what their colleagues and neighbors are doing to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
Jen Green, Burlington’s Sustainability Director, hopes the Coalition will be a hub for collaboration and collective action across the state. As she explains, “not only does it provide a central location to keep track of our efforts, it also helps Vermonters see what’s possible by showing them what members of their own community have pledged to do.”
Vermont’s energy leaders will be highlighting the first round of particularly ambitious pledges and actions by Coalition members at the inaugural Energy and Climate Summit on November 8th. The Coalition’s leaders will continue to devise ways of recognizing standout members in the future, providing an extra incentive to take on ambitious challenges.
Vermont’s efforts exemplify smart, community-driven climate action. By holding everyone accountable for meeting state and national climate goals, Vermont is leading the way, even as the federal government pulls back.
Read more about the Coalition here.