City staff recently admitted that Fort Collins is not on track to meet its climate pollution reduction goals for 2026 and 2030. We learned this right before staff and council opted to put the Fort Collins Sustainability Group’s proposal for a Large Methane User Fee – which would have helped us achieve those goals – on the back burner.
These developments are particularly galling since Fort Collins voters approved a ½% sales tax increase in 2023 designed in part to help meet the City’s climate pollution reduction goals. Where’s the accountability? Please send an e-mail to City Council at CityCouncil@fcgov.com asking them to insist that staff develop a plan to actually meet those goals. You can use the following letter, or you can write you own. Thank you!
Dear Mayor and City Councilmembers,
I am writing to ask that you do all that you can to accelerate Fort Collins’ efforts to address the climate crisis.
In 2015, Fort Collins established goals to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by 20%, 80% and 100% from 2005 levels by 2020, 2030 and 2050, respectively. More recently, an intermediate goal of a 50% reduction by 2026 was added.
According to City staff, Fort Collins met its 2020 target but is not on track to achieve the 2026 and 2030 goals. Given that voters recently approved an increase in the City’s sales tax, 25% of which is dedicated to addressing air quality and climate change, it is beyond disappointing to now learn that City staff is likely to declare these goals to be unachievable.
The climate crisis is accelerating, with the average global temperature exceeding the guard rail of 1.5° C above the pre-industrial average in 2024. Fort Collins was right to adopt its ambitious climate goals in 2015. Please insist that staff develop a plan to reach those goals. Fort Collins cannot do too much to address this critical issue and set an example for other communities. Later is too late!
Sincerely,
Shirley White
I wrote to City Council regarding the pollution reduction goals and received one reply so far from Tricia Canonico of District 3. She makes a vaguely positive response, congratulating my concern, but not defining very specific efforts to move us toward the promised goals, only promising to work with her collegues and the city staff.
Shirley White
FC resident District 4
Elizabeth
Dear Mayor and City Councilmembers,
I am writing to ask that you do all that you can to accelerate Fort Collins’ efforts to address the climate crisis. The Climate Crisis is a life or death issue and time is running out.
In 2015, Fort Collins established goals to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by 20%, 80% and 100% from 2005 levels by 2020, 2030 and 2050, respectively. More recently, an intermediate goal of a 50% reduction by 2026 was added.
According to City staff, Fort Collins met its 2020 target but is not on track to achieve the 2026 and 2030 goals. Given that voters recently approved an increase in the City’s sales tax, 25% of which is dedicated to addressing air quality and climate change, it is beyond disappointing to now learn that City staff is likely to declare these goals to be unachievable.
The climate crisis is accelerating, with the average global temperature exceeding the guard rail of 1.5° C above the pre-industrial average in 2024. Fort Collins was right to adopt its ambitious climate goals in 2015. Please insist that staff develop a plan to reach those goals as you were elected to do. Fort Collins cannot do too much to address this critical issue and set an example for other communities. Later is too late!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Hudetz
William Timpson
City Council,
We must demonstrate to our fellow citizens that we can make the health of our environment a priority.