BOULDER, Colo. — Boulder officials say the city will need to roughly double the pace of its emissions reductions over the next several years to meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 70% below 2018 levels by 2030, according to the city’s newly updated Climate Action Plan.
In June, the City of Boulder released an updated Climate Action Plan that city leaders say is designed to accelerate emissions reductions while preparing the community for worsening climate impacts like wildfire, extreme heat and flooding.
The plan updates Boulder’s long-term climate roadmap for the first time since 2017 and expands its focus beyond greenhouse gas reductions to include resilience and climate equity.
As Denver7’s Boulder County reporter, Colin Riley has spent months speaking with residents across the county about issues ranging from wildfire recovery to housing, transportation and water conservation. Again and again, climate change and sustainability practices have emerged as top concerns for many residents as Colorado faces increasing challenges tied to extreme heat, drought, wildfire risk and rapid population growth.
“We’ve really elevated the role of resilience and climate justice and climate equity within this plan,” said Carolyn Elam, a senior manager with the city’s climate initiatives department. “We certainly truly understand that climate change is happening, it’s all around us, and we really need to center those other principles.”
City officials say Boulder has already surpassed an earlier goal of cutting emissions 50% below 2005 levels by 2030, reaching that milestone in 2024. The city’s updated target now calls for reducing emissions 70% below 2018 levels by 2030.
Elam said the city has made progress but acknowledged Boulder will need to speed up emissions reductions over the next several years.
“We made good progress,” Elam said. “Admittedly, we do have to accelerate our pace to hit our 2030 goal of 70% emissions reduction. But I think there’s pathways to get there, so I remain optimistic.”
The plan outlines strategies focused on cleaner electricity, building electrification, alternative transportation and reductions in waste and consumption. Boulder officials say transportation and electricity use remain the city’s largest emissions sources.
► Watch Colin Riley's report in the video below:
Much of the plan depends on partnerships outside the city’s direct control, including work with Xcel Energy, state regulators and neighboring communities.
“A lot of our work is centered around advocacy and partnership,” Elam said. “We do work very closely with our other communities across the state to really elevate our voice and amplify our voice.”
The updated climate projections in the plan warn of increasingly severe conditions in Boulder over the coming decades. According to city projections, Boulder could see roughly two-thirds of the year classified as high wildfire-risk days by 2050. The city is also projecting more than 40 extreme heat days annually and more frequent heavy precipitation events.
Elam said those changes are already increasing strain on city infrastructure and emergency response systems.
“The economic impact of our climate change is pretty significant,” Elam said. “We’re also seeing the effects on our own operations in terms of more stresses on our infrastructure, our roads, buildings — so repair costs and maintenance costs are growing.”
The plan also highlights climate equity efforts, including programs supporting communities disproportionately affected by climate-related disasters. City officials pointed to recovery and resilience work in manufactured housing communities impacted by the Marshall Fire and extreme wind events.
The city says it will continue publishing annual greenhouse gas inventories and periodic progress reports to track whether Boulder remains on pace to meet its climate goals. You can find those updates on the city's greenhouse gas emissions data dashboard.
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