Philadelphia Climate Action Playbook Public Survey

The Philadelphia Climate Action Playbook (the Playbook) outlines the actions Philadelphia is taking to respond to climate change through 2050. The playbook is NOT a new plan. It brings together actions from existing plans across City departments. This provides a more comprehensive view of how we are working to achieve our climate goals. The Playbook is a one-stop resource for anyone interested in learning more about climate action in Philadelphia.

The Playbook outlines climate actions in three areas:

1. Reducing our Contribution to Climate Change – Actions to reduce carbon pollution . These come from three main sources: Buildings and Industry, Transportation, and Waste.
2. Utilizing Nature as a Solution to Climate Pollution – Actions to remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere.
3. Adapting to a Changing Climate – Actions to prepare Philadelphia for a hotter, wetter future.

The following survey will:

1. Ask you to answer questions about how you are personally responding to climate change.
2. Ask you to review each of the three action-areas and provide your thoughts and feedback on how the City is responding to climate change.

The survey should take about 5-10 minutes to complete. Responses will remain anonymous. 

Before taking the survey - you can review the draft of the Playbook here: Philadelphia Climate Action Playbook. 

 

Please email sustainability@phila.gov with any questions or further feedback.

In the past, the natural carbon cycle kept our planet at a steady temperature. Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have changed this cycle by burning fossil fuels at a rapid rate. Fossil fuels include things like coal, oil, natural gas, and gasoline that we burn for energy and heat. Burning these fuels release gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These gases and others are called greenhouse gases (GHGs) and trap heat in the atmosphere. The rise in GHGs has had major impacts including higher temperatures and more extreme weather patterns.

For more information on how climate change occurs watch a video from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -> click here to view.

In Philadelphia, climate change is projected to bring:

• Hotter temperatures including prolonged heat waves
• More precipitation such as rainfall and snow
• More frequent storms and flooding

These changes will have impacts beyond changes to our environment:

• EQUITY : Longstanding challenges of systemic racism mean that climate change will disproportionately impact our city’s Black, Hispanic and low-income residents.
• PUBLIC HEALTH : Increases the occurrences of heat-related illnesses, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, vector-borne diseases, stress, anxiety, and displacement.
• LAND LOSS : Increase the amount of land cover which is permanently inundated (flooded) by sea level rise.
• ASSOCIATED COSTS : Climate change will increase costs for the City and residents related to cooling, storm recovery, and health impacts.

 

The questions below outline actions the City is taking to reduce carbon pollution from our three main sources of emissions. Please review and provide any comments on what you like, what you think is missing that the City should pursue.

BUILDINGS AND ENERGY

• Citywide Clean Electricity Supply - Work towards a 100% clean electricity grid through local renewable energy purchasing and generation.
• Citywide Solar - Pursue actions to address the barriers to and promote solar installation in the city.
• Municipal Clean Electricity Supply - Generate or purchase all municipal electricity from renewable sources.
• Energy Efficient Buildings - Increase energy efficiency in the built environment through building tune-ups and home repairs.
• Lower Municipal Energy Use - Reduce municipal energy consumption through building management, conducting building tune-ups, and rolling out LED street lighting citywide.
• Low-carbon Thermal Energy - Explore and invest in low-carbon alternative energy sources where feasible. Evaluate the operations of Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), the nation's largest municipally owned utility, for potential emissions reductions.
• Low-carbon Economy - Hasten the development of a low-carbon economy through collaboration with large regional businesses and institutions. Educate around industrial emissions. Reduce emissions from the port of Philadelphia.

TRANSPORTATION

• Transit First - Develop a citywide transit plan which expands public and active transit routes and grows regional transit funds.
• High Quality Bus Network - Transform the bus and trolley service through collaboration with SEPTA to increase ridership, reliability, and accessibility.
• High Quality Bike Network - Implement the Bicycle Network Plan to increase bike routes in the city to 300 miles, increase ridership, and improve safety.
• A Clean Fleet - Continue to transition the municipal fleet to clean and electric vehicles.
• Reduced Emissions from Private Vehicles - Support the safety, accessibility, and reliability of alternative modes of transit to promote a mode shift from vehicles to transit more broadly. Implement recommendations from the Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy Task Force report to support EV adoption.

WASTE

• Reduced Municipal Waste - Reduce municipal waste through waste reduction, composting, and sustainable procurement opportunities.
• Reduced Residential and Business Waste - Engage residents, businesses, and institutions in waste and litter reduction through outreach, grassroots organizing, and education. Promote commercial waste diversion through the Zero Waste Partnership Program. Explore the feasibility of citywide compost collection, and continue to expand the Community Composting Network.
• Reduced Industrial and Utilities Waste - Continue operating the biosolids recycling center through PWD, diverting aircraft deicing fluid from PHL to be used in fertilizer creation. Support PHL in expanding airport composting. Explore further opportunities to reduce waste in key utilities and infrastructure.

Land cover like trees and parks helps to remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere. Only 20 percent of Philadelphia is tree canopy, while 49 percent of the city could be modified to include more. Please review the actions below and provide your feedback on this action area. 

• Cleaner Public Spaces - Reduce litter through recycling and community trash can coverage. Implement and enforce new regulatory requirements to reduce illegal dumping and construction waste.
• Increased and Preserved Green Space - Continue to increase citywide tree coverage. Finalize the development of an Urban Forest Strategic Plan.
• City Wide Composting - Explore the feasibility of citywide compost collection. Expand the Community Composting Network and explore other opportunities to reduce food waste through donation and diversion.
• Carbon Sink Network - Explore the feasibility of further carbon sink options as new technologies and strategies emerge. Advocate for the preservation of current carbon sinks in the region and globally.

Philadelphia can expect hotter, wetter weather due to climate change, an impact we are already beginning to see. The following actions consider how we will address these changes. Please review and provide any feedback in the space below.

• Climate Informed Planning - Create a citywide adaptation roadmap which integrates climate change impacts into future planning. Consider climate change projections when updating existing City plans.
• Climate Prepared Communities - Implement recommendations from the PDPH Climate Change and Health Plan. Explore opportunities to build community resilience to these risks through neighborhood-level programs. Continue to convene the interagency Flood Risk Management Task Force.
• Green Workforce Development - Continue investing in clean energy workforce development through PEA, the School District's Green Futures Program, and PowerCorpsPHL. Continue to provide incentives and support to sustainable small businesses.
• Local Food Network - Continue to advocate for and support a local food network where all people have the power to access, own and control our food, land and labor through FarmPhilly, the Urban Agriculture Master Plan, Get Healthy Philly, and the Food Policy Advisory Council.
• Engaged Citizens for Climate Action - Through programs such as Greenworks on the Ground, the Citizens Planning Institute, and events such as the annual Philly Spring Cleanup, empower Philadelphia residents to take climate action into their homes, work places, and communities.

Thank you for taking time to participate in the Philadelphia Climate Action Playbook public survey.