Local climate leaders convene at summit, set goals

By kAtE hill Staff writer

On March 11, the United Climate Action Network (UCAN) presented its annual Climate Action Leadership Summit at the Cazenovia Public Library.

The organization’s accomplishments include meeting with legislators regarding climate-related policies, conducting soil testing at local farms, planting 220 trees at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, launching a water quality monitoring program, sponsoring several events such as summits, Cazenovia Earth Week and energy fairs for example, and revitalizing the recycling program at Cazenovia High School, and launching a public awareness campaign focused on recycling pizza boxes.

The 2023 climate summit brought together a select group of community leaders and professionals to discuss the regional impacts of climate change, learn about local accomplishments and resources, network, and develop goals to address climate change in Madison County and beyond.

local achievements

The summit began with an overview of the work that has been done to address the climate crisis within the towns of Cazenovia and Fenner.

Anne Saltman, who has a background in environmental and municipal planning, provided a summary of the actions that have been taken in the Town and Village of Cazenovia since 2010.

“Climate scientists predict that the main drivers of climate change — those being warmer temperatures, changes in precipitation, and increasing frequency of storm events — are expected to continue in the coming years,” said Saltman. “On the bright side, the Town and Village of Cazenovia and local organizations continue to make significant progress with mitigation and adaptation initiatives that address our changing climate. Local research is now providing information about how climate change is affecting our community, and this is helping local elected officials, businesses, and landowners to better prepare for the future.”

Kate Hill as a commitment to GHG emission reduction and climate change mitigation.

On March 11, a select group of community leaders and professionals gathered at the Cazenovia Public library for the annual Climate Action leadership Summit sponsored by the United Climate Action Network.

In 2014, the village conducted its own GHG Emissions Inventory and joined the town in adopting the CSC pledge. “Annual greenhouse gas emissions inventories and energy performance scores are now calculated in Cazenovia on an annual basis,” said Saltman. “They are being used primarily to guide policy decisions and energy improvements and to develop sustainability projects and build public support for broader sustainability initiatives.”

Saltman also said that the reduction in GHG emissions in the past few years helped the village and town to earn the prestigious CSC bronze certification from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in 2020.

Another milestone was the 2015 development of a Climate Action Plan (CAP) through the cooperation of the town, the village, several local organizations, and the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board (CNY RPDB), a public agency that

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According to Saltman, a significant local milestone was in 2010 when the town conducted a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory and adopted a Climate Smart Communities (CSC) pledge

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