Climate change is an existential threat to all humanity and we are already feeling its effects. This is an “all hands on deck” moment for the climate and we must accelerate our progress in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.
Brookline has made some progress to help combat climate change. Highlights include:
- Setting a 2040 target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions within the Town
- Minimizing carbon emissions in new and renovated buildings by opting into a new State building code and participating in a State pilot project
- Expanding the public EV charging fleet within the Town
- Launching the Electrify Brookline community campaign in collaboration between the Town’s Zero Emissions Advisory Board (ZEAB), Brookline Mothers Out Front (BMOF), and Climate Action Brookline (CAB), that publishes “how to” guides and other resources to help homeowners decarbonize their homes and transportation.
- Establishing a Green Electricity aggregation program, which includes participation from most Brookline households.
Massachusetts published a 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap to identify the most technologically and economically feasible steps all sectors of the State economy should take to address the climate crisis. Decarbonizing buildings (including housing) and decarbonizing transportation (including passenger vehicles) are among the most impactful and feasible steps available.
As a Select Board member, I will focus on the following:
1. Existing Buildings. We must transition our existing building stock, including residential, commercial, and municipal buildings, to highly efficient, electricity-powered systems: cold climate heat pumps for heating and cooling, induction stoves for feeding our families and heat pump water heaters for our baths and showers. Project costs should decrease as technology improves and more contractors are trained.
- The Division of Sustainability and Natural Resources is leading this effort with support from ZEAB and community members. Its upcoming 2025 Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) will guide the Town and community with impactful, feasible steps to reduce the Town’s carbon emissions.
- We should promote resources from the Electrify Brookline campaign whenever town staff interacts with the public, such as when applying for permits from the building department.
- I will look for opportunities to update our zoning and general bylaws, Town regulations, and Town policies to eliminate barriers to decarbonization, electrification, and efficiency.
- Real estate purchases and permit applications are decarbonization opportunities. Renovating at least 50% of a building automatically triggers certain efficiency and decarbonization requirements. Working with other members of the Select Board, the Division of Sustainability and Natural Resources, ZEAB and community groups, I will look for opportunities to engage community professionals, such as real estate agents, developers, landlords, and building managers, to inform residential and commercial stakeholders about opportunities to decarbonize their buildings.
2. Transportation. We need to update our infrastructure to support carbon-free transportation and overcome barriers to electric vehicle charger installation.
- We should publicize the 2024 State climate law’s “right to charge” provisions within the Town’s historic districts and to the Town’s condominiums so that these residents know their rights and obligations under this new law.
- We should continue improving our roadways to facilitate alternative modes of transportation, such as bicycles and e-scooters. This would encourage their use by making them safer, thereby reducing our collective carbon footprint.
3. Infrastructure. I will work to minimize the creation of new natural gas infrastructure. Instead, the Town should work with our utilities to develop alternatives such as networked geothermal and other scaled up thermal heat and cooling throughout the town.
4. Planning. I will continue to push for climate planning across all of our Town Departments, including Transportation, Housing, School & Town Buildings, Open Space, and Economic Development.
Together, we can implement smart, equitable solutions that address the climate crisis with urgency. We can improve the quality of life for everyone in Brookline, and set an example of thoughtful climate action for communities across Massachusetts.