Hudson Valley Climate Action Planning Institute

  • Dream it.

    The Climate Action Planning Institute (CAPI) is a facilitated, collaborative working group through which a select group of local governments develop individual government operations greenhouse gas emissions inventories (“GOGHGI”) and government operations climate action plans (“GOCAP”).

  • Build it.

    The Hudson Valley Regional Council (HVRC) in partnership with ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), will be leading Dutchess CAPI. Nine municipalities will together take a collaborative approach to climate mitigation and help bring State funding to the region for important projects.

    Participating municipalities:

    Dutchess County​

    City of Beacon​

    City of Poughkeepsie​

    Town of Amenia​

    Town of Pleasant Valley​

    Town of Poughkeepsie​

    Town of Rhinebeck​

    Village of Rhinebeck​

    Village of Wappingers Falls

  • Grow it.

    Cohort Meeting Schedule: 2023 Dutchess CAPI Cohort Meetings will be held on: January 18th, February 15th, March 15th, April 19th, May 17th, June 21st, July 19th, August 16th, September 20th, October 18th, November 15th, and December 20th.

CAPI

GOGHGI

A greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory is one of the first and most important steps in the local climate action process. A local government operations GHG inventory is an accounting, analysis, and report of the GHG emissions resulting from the day-to-day operations of a village, town, city, or county. It summarizes the GHG emissions from the consumption of energy and materials in government buildings, from wastewater and water treatment facilities, from municipal vehicle fleets, from government-owned outdoor lighting, and from other sources. All Climate Smart Communities should prioritize GHG inventories as a foundational step toward effective action. GHG inventories provide the data needed to set realistic goals and track progress toward reducing operating costs, energy use, and emissions.

GHG inventory reports identify the largest energy users and sources of GHG emissions (e.g., by building, sector, or department). As a result, GHG inventories help local governments select actions that offer a good return on investment and should be highlighted in subsequent climate action planning. Over time, as a local government builds its capacity to conduct GHG inventories on a regular basis, the process helps to increase the ability of the local government to operate efficiently and use taxpayer resources effectively.

With the help of the Hudson Valley Regional Council and an intern from Vassar College we were able to gather information, input the data into Clearpath a software system of ICLEI and produce and Green House Gas Inventory for Pleasant Valley.

You can see the result by clicking on the button below.

GOCAP

A climate action plan (CAP) is a strategy document that sets goals and outlines a set of initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Using a GHG emissions inventory as the foundation, a CAP defines GHG reduction targets and provides a framework for achieving those targets. The CAP identifies priority actions and facilitates coordination across government departments. In addition, the CAP supports effective action over time by establishing methods for assessing progress and adjusting the local strategy if GHG targets are surpassed or not fulfilled. By developing such a plan for their own operations, local governments take leadership roles and provide their communities with examples that help to inspire community-wide action.

We are currently working on Pleasant Valley’s Climate Action Plan along with the assistance of Hudson Valley Regional Council once again utilizing ICLEI’s Clearpath System. When complete we will be posting it below. Stay Tuned……..

Climate Vulnerability, Adaptation and Resilience

In February 2024, the Town kicked off a 12-month program focused on climate vulnerability, adaptation and resilience called CAPI Adapt. As part of this effort, the Town will be producing two deliverables, a 1) Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and 2) Climate Adaptation Chapter.  The Climate Adaptation will be a chapter in the municipality's Climate Action Plan.

The Town has formed a Team focused on these efforts. This Team is working to determine the most serious effects of climate change in our region and to identify, analyze, and prioritize strategies to adapt to the changing climate. The goal is to improve the Town's resilience and plan for climate adaptation in a cost effective and efficient manner. In conducting its research, the Team will engage Town staff, boards and departments, and members of the public. It will participate in workshops, hold public meetings, create a public survey, and draft a climate vulnerability assessment, which will all be posted on this page for review.

The Supervisor, Town Board, Town departments, and the Climate Smart Communities Task Force have all prioritized sustainability and resiliency initiatives, which have led to significant strides in recent years.

Work to Date and Next Steps

The Team kicked-off the Program by participating in a workshop on February 8th in Peekskill, NY, led by ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability. In the Workshop a range of regional climate projections were presented and reviewed. The Team began the work of identifying potential impacts to Town assets and systems. For more information, see Workshop results below.

In the coming months, the Town will meet with key stakeholders and the public for further input and feedback. Drawing on all of this input, the Team will draft a Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report that aims to document the major climate hazards to the Town and its most vulnerable assets. The Team will then go on to produce a climate adaptation chapter for its Government Operations Climate Action Plan. This chapter will identify strategies for adapting to the most serious vulnerabilities and analyze and prioritize those strategies.

  • Results of the CAPI Adapt Kick-off Planning Meeting in Peekskill, NY February 8th, 2024.