2. Take Action
Although GCoM has a suggested timeline, we understand that every local government has their own set of circumstances, timelines and priorities.
As such, councils can select to report on any of the following activities depending on their circumstances.
Mitigation
Emissions inventory
In order to be awarded the mitigation inventory badge, a local government must submit an emissions inventory based on the recognised emission reporting methodology outlined in The Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Inventories (GPC). The GPC provides a robust framework for accounting and reporting municipality-wide greenhouse gas emissions in a way that ensures consistency, enabling some levels of comparison and amalgamation between city data.
Relevant questions - 4.0, 4,1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.3a, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6A, 4.6B
Adaptation
Risk and Vunerability Assessment
In order to develop an adaptation strategy, one must first identify the potential climate hazards which are likely to impact a local government area, identifying potential vulnerabilities and priorities in adaptation response.
Relevant questions - 2.0, 2.0B, 2.1, 2.2
Mitigation targets
All councils and cities must register a municipality-wide emission reduction target. These targets must be at least as ambitious as their national target.
The GHG Protocol’s Mitigation Goal Standards provides guidance for designing mitigation goals, and a standardised approach for assessing and reporting progress toward goal achievement.
It’s a valuable tool to help identify and determine your targets.
Relevant questions - 5.0, 5.2, 5.3
Adaptation Goal
Once vulnerabilities are identified, the local government can then set a number of adaptation goals.
Relevant questions - 3.3
Mitigation plan
The final step in mitigation is develop a climate change mitigation plan, this can be part of a combined climate plan or a stand alone document.
Relevant questions - 5.4, 5.5
Adaptation Plan
Using its risk and vulnerability assessment as a basis, a local government can develop a strategy to reduce its vulnerability to known climate hazards. This adaptation strategy is the final badge in adaptation. It can be reported either as a stand alone document or as combined climate plan together with its climate mitigation plan.
Relevant questions 3.0, 3.2, 3.2a
Feedback and amendment
Once a council has submitted its report to the CDP-ICLEI Unified reporting platform, CDP and ICLEI will assess the submissions against the guidelines outlined in the common reporting framework and send feedback to councils. Councils are then given an opportunity to amend their submission before a final round of assessments and the attribution of badges.
