What near term mitigation actions does the region need to take?
The region's "Priority Climate Action Plan" (the initiative's first deliverable) was released in February 2024 and serves as a starting point for more detailed and comprehensive planning to follow.
What climate actions do we need to set in motion for the next 25 years?
In 2024 and 2025, a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan will be developed. This will include an updated regional GHG inventory and more detailed analyses, findings, and recommendations.
How do we prepare the region to implement the work we set out to do?
Over the final 2 years of the program, 1RF CA will seek to promote implementation by evaluating progress, and develop tools, resources, and programs.
Bring the “Buffalo Niagara’s Climate Challenge” game to your meeting or community.
This winter and spring, the UB Regional Institute team will bring the community engagement game to group settings across the region. The game helps to build understanding about actions we can take to reduce emissions and is a key means by which we'll incorporate feedback from the community into the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. If you have a committee, community organization, classroom, or any other group you think would like to engage with this activity, please let us know by following the link below.
About the Climate Action Plan
One Region for Climate Action (1RF CA) is a regional planning initiative focused on identifying actionable steps Buffalo Niagara (Erie and Niagara counties) can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The initiative was launched in November 2023 through a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program and is supporting various planning activities through 2027. This multi-year program will build on existing planning, promote collaboration, and prepare the region to take action on the climate challenges of today and tomorrow.
The First Step of 1RF Climate Action
Priority Climate Action Plan
In March 2024, the Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) was launched. This plan represents the first deliverable of One Region for Climate Action – a federally funded regional planning initiative focused on identifying actionable steps Buffalo Niagara can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The PCAP outlines a baseline of the causes of greenhouse gas emissions from the region, describes key issues and priorities to ensure regional climate action addresses the needs of disadvantaged and underrepresented communities, and identifies priority measures the region can take between now and 2030 to advance regional, state, and federal goals for climate mitigation.
Phase 1: Priority Climate Action Plan
WHAT NEAR TERM CLIMATE MITIGATION ACTIONS DOES THE REGION NEED TO TAKE?
This Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) represents the first deliverable of One Region for Climate Action. It outlines a baseline of the causes of greenhouse gas emissions from the region, describes key issues and priorities to ensure regional climate action addresses the needs of disadvantaged and underrepresented communities, and identifies priority measures the region can take between now and 2030 to advance regional, state, and federal goals for climate mitigation.
The plan was developed over a fourmonth period (November 2023 – February 2024) and was informed by guidance from the One Region Forward Implementation Council, the One Region for Climate Action (1RF CA) Climate Justice Working Group, 11 listening sessions with key municipal and nonprofit partners, and 39 project concepts submitted as part of a sixweek call for projects. It also builds heavily on other regional and local climate action plans or initiatives, including the recently completed Erie County Climate Community Climate Action Plan (2023).
Phase 2: Comprehensive Climate Action Plan
WHAT CLIMATE ACTIONS DO WE NEED TO SET IN MOTION FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS?
Throughout 2024 and 2025, a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan will be developed that builds off the PCAP and engages stakeholders and community members from across the two-county region. This plan will take a longer trajectory – looking out over the next few decades – and will identify the big climate actions Buffalo Niagara needs to take. This plan will also include an updated regional Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory, estimates of GHG impact of proposed reduction measures, an analysis of community benefits and workforce opportunities associated with climate action implementation, and regional targets for GHG reduction.
This plan will expand on the work of the Priority Climate Action Plan, while also integrating and expanding on the work of Erie County’s Community Climate Action Plan as well as other local climate action initiatives.
Phase 3: Progress Report and Implementation Tools
HOW DO WE PREPARE THE REGION TO IMPLEMENT THE WORK WE SET OUT TO DO?
With an aim toward advancing projects and initiatives, the final two years of this imitative will focus on evaluating progress and creating tools and resources that can help sustain local implementation and regional collaboration to reduce climate emissions over the long haul.
One Region for Climate Action Plans and Reports
Priority Climate Action Plan