City Takes a Holistic Look at Climate Action Through Stories and Data

The City of Boulder has released its first Climate Action StoryMap. The StoryMap, an interactive webpage, takes a holistic approach to assessing Boulder’s climate impact. Through numerical data and community stories, the StoryMap spotlights city initiatives and partnerships that strive to illustrate climate action and focus on inclusivity. It also highlights the city’s leadership in driving policies that change systems at the root of climate change.

“Meaningful climate action requires a strong collective effort from community members, businesses and policymakers, who all play vital roles in driving transformative change,” said Director of Climate Initiatives Jonathan Koehn. “The city’s climate work aims to meet the urgency of today and prepare for the uncertainty of tomorrow. We know there is significant work to be done, but we hope this StoryMap helps showcase the far-reaching impact of our community’s efforts."

The StoryMap builds on the city’s annual greenhouse gas inventory, exploring both the quantitative and qualitative impacts of local efforts to address the climate crisis. Taken together, the emissions inventory and StoryMap paint a picture of Boulder’s progress toward a more resilient and equitable climate future. The StoryMap specifically expands how impact is measured, recognizing the importance of storytelling in assessing how programs advance equity, resilience and broader systems change.

Key Takeaways from the Climate Action StoryMap

The city is making climate action easier and more affordable in Boulder by:

• Supporting innovative sustainability solutions for Boulder businesses through rebates, incentives and advising.
• Equipping community members with information, financial assistance and services to support healthier homes, cleaner travel and climate-friendly choices.
• Directing support to those most affected by natural disasters, high energy bills and other climate impacts.

The city is driving systems change to address the root causes of the climate crisis beyond Boulder by:

• Leading policy development and change at regional, state and national levels.
• Broadening our collective impact by collaborating with partners, other cities and government agencies.
• Modeling climate-resilient systems that can be scaled up or replicated in other places.
• Holding climate polluters accountable.

View the StoryMap on the city’s website. The city’s 2022 Greenhouse Gas Inventory will be available later this year. In the meantime, a high-level look at the data is available on the city’s Data Dashboard.

• Visit the Climate Action StoryMap