Policy Options to Achieve the City of Philadelphia’s Climate Change Goals

Abstract

The purpose of this master’s project is to carry out a thorough policy analysis that will enable the City of Philadelphia to achieve its 2030 and 2050 carbon emission reduction and renewable energy goals. Philadelphia has a plan in place to reach these goals and its current policies are a good first step. However, there is room for their plans and policies to be augmented with strategies beyond what they currently have. This project analyses the potential of various transportation policies and presents the results of cost benefit analysis (CBAs) conducted on three carbon reduction strategies that the city expressed interest in but lacked the resources to explore on their own. A synthesis of actions taken by cities world-wide has also been added to serve as a menu of options for further exploration. With this project we aim to assist our client, the Clean Air Council, by providing insight on additional, cost-effective strategies to advocate for further action in the city, as well as to provide Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability with valuable information and resources to continue their work towards climate change mitigation.