On Oct. 15, members of the Routt County Climate Action Plan Collaborative and Yampa Valley Sustainability Council joined 540 community, resort, business, nonprofit and tribal leaders in Jackson, Wyoming for the fourth annual Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Solutions Summit. 

MT2030 is an annual climate summit for mountain towns intended to foster learning, collaboration and action towards achieving net-zero by 2030. This year’s two-day conference covered a range of topics including local government and ski resort decarbonization efforts, grant and financing opportunities, composting, and climate policy and advocacy.

The CAP Collaborative was invited to speak about its history, successful structure, the role of natural climate solutions in CAP implementation, and key takeaways. Panelists included Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys, City Council President Gail Garey, and YVSC staff members Michelle Stewart and Tim Sullivan.

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Build collaborative action one step at a time

“Routt County boasts extensive natural beauty, diverse economic activities and a proud heritage and history,” opened Macys. “Preserving these unique elements is important culturally and economically, but it is also a tool to build climate mitigation and resilience.”

Macys noted one of the first steps to building a successful regional collaborative in Routt County was recognizing the individuality of its municipalities and meeting people where they were. The CAP and Collaborative structure prioritized motivation and inclusion over overly-ambitious carbon reduction goals and regulatory requirements. 

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That was critical to getting all Routt County municipalities to participate in an intergovernmental agreement to establish the Routt County Climate Action Plan Collaborative and to support the emissions reduction strategies laid out in the plan. 

Structure collaborative climate action so it lives 

Garey discussed the value of having a mechanism, like the IGA, in place as a continued commitment and drive for government leadership and collaboration. 

“The Collaborative IGA is an inter-governmental commitment to long-term CAP implementation efforts and establishes formal government representation and participation on a CAP Board,” explained Garey. 

The CAP Board meets monthly to support regional decision-making, track execution of local emissions reductions initiatives and help secure funding to advance the CAP. The latter effort recently resulted in a $264,100 award to the CAP Collaborative by the Colorado Energy Office to develop and implement a building electrification and decarbonization plan.

“The inclusion of governmental staff on the CAP’s five Working Groups is key to day-to-day operationalizing of the CAP, accessing expertise and leading by example,” said Garey. “Input and written support by Working Group members also helped government officials to successfully pass important climate initiatives like requiring renewable energy sourced snowmelt systems.”

Build a mosaic of solutions that fits a region

In the West, our natural lands and waters are assets, and key opportunities for efforts to reduce emissions and build resilience. Nearly half of the land area in Routt County is public land and approximately 18% of private lands are protected. Routt County’s diverse community has supported Purchase of Development Rights since 1996. 

The CAP integrates natural climate solutions into key actions to reduce emissions, and can serve as a model for other mountain town communities advancing climate action. 

“Recent research shows that up to one-fifth of our US carbon emissions can be reduced if we invest in natural climate solutions, not as an offset, but as an addition to other efforts,” said Tim Sullivan, YVSC resilient land and water director. “Natural climate solutions, like tree planting and wetland restoration, also build resilience to the inevitable impacts of increasing heat and aridity.” 

A strong foundation to build forward on 

“Routt County’s Climate Action Plan and the work of the Collaborative Board and Working Groups is recognized as a lead-by-example model for other mountain communities. We have much to be proud of in terms of our foundations, which are already leading to important opportunities to move action ahead,” says Michelle Stewart, YVSC executive director.

Learn more and join members of the CAP Collaborative for a public open house from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at Library Hall to hear about CAP implementation progress. Come with questions and feedback, and enjoy light snacks and beverages during this interactive evening.

Ashley Dean, YVSC’s Senior Manager for Collaborative Initiatives, on behalf of the Routt County Climate Action Plan Collaborative. For more, go to RouttClimateAction.com/.