Resources

This is a detailed list of six steps which businesses and other small to medium sized entities can take to conserve their water resources.

The Renewables Accelerator provides cutting-edge tools, resources and technical assistance to help U.S. cities advance ambitious renewable energy goals. Our partnership supports the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network cities with renewable energy commitments.

We work with cohorts of cities grouped around key renewable procurement methods to deliver knowledge, tools, assistance, and peer learning to quickly implement and scale clean energy solutions.

This site is intended to be a one-stop shop for local governments in the U.S. to effectively procure and scale clean energy. The tools, resources, and guidance provided and documented on the ACCC site are all free to use and publicly accessible.

Feel free to contact the Renewables Accelerator team with any questions or comments at contact@cityrenewables.org.

ACEEE’s State and Local Policy Database includes comprehensive information on energy efficiency policies and programs being implemented in dozens of leading localities around the United States.

The Inclusive Economy Challenge is a call to action for businesses to make concrete and measurable improvements to our business practices in pursuit of a more inclusive economy - one that is equitable and creates opportunity for all for the long term. See here their downloadable resources.

Contact: Serafini@wbcsd.org below50.org Webpage

below50 Criteria and sectoral commitments

below50 Online self-assessment

below50 Regional Hubs

below50 Companies and case studies

Advantages by sector

Resources

News and insights

New to energy saving? This guide helps you identify measures where energy and cost savings can be easily made with little or no cost (Registration requested).

BuildingRating.org is an online hub for tools and critical information on building energy and water performance policies throughout the world. The site allows users to: get the latest on benchmarking and transparency policies; search for comprehensive building performance policy information; compare policies elements across jurisdictions; and access additional background information and tools.

Contact: takeaction@wemeanbusinesscoalition.org UN Global Compact's Business Leadership Criteria on Carbon Pricing

CDP Carbon Pricing Web Page: Access key resources and guidance around what constitutes a price on carbon and how companies can go about implementing an internal price.

CDP Putting a price on carbon 2017 report: Integrating climate risk into business planning

C2ES The Business of pricing carbon 2017 report: How companies are pricing carbon to mitigate risks and preapare for a low carbon future

ICP Best Practice Guide: How-to guide to corporate internal carbon pricing

Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) Web Page

CPLC Resource Hub: Research on current and emerging carbon pricing practices

Carbon Pricing Corridors: An initiative aiming to enable large market players to define the carbon prices needed for industry to meet the Paris Agreement

The Handbook is a resource for city leaders around the world to take real and meaningful action toward their commitments with ready-to-implement, no regrets solutions that have proven success. It is an actionable resource for city mayors, chief sustainability officers, and other leaders who are in the drivers seat in making key decisions that shape their community's future.

The Handbook is a resource for city leaders around the world to take real and meaningful action toward their commitments with ready-to-implement, no regrets solutions that have proven success. It is an actionable resource for city mayors, chief sustainability officers, and other leaders who are in the drivers seat in making key decisions that shape their community's future.

The carbonn Climate Registry (cCR)supports cities, towns and regions in developing robust reporting practices that enhance transparency, accountability and credibility. The platform uses reporting tools consistent with global standards and protocols and encourages measurable, reportable and verifiable (MRV) local climate action.

CDP provides guidance that explains each question in their reporting framework in detail and describes what information to provide, the required format, and where to find tools or further information to construct your answer.

Investors can use CDP's data and award-winning analysis to understand risk, protect investments and seize opportunities. We gather the most reliable data from companies at the request of shareholders. This information is used to improve financial decision making and increase corporate engagement.

The City Energy Project is a national initiative to create healthier and more prosperous American cities by improving the energy efficiency of buildings. The pioneering actions of the 20 cities involved in the City Energy Project will be models for communities nationwide and around the world. The Project focuses on large public and private-sector buildings. The City Energy Project makes available resources to any city wishing to improve the performance of its built environment.

ClearPath™ is the leading online software platform for completing greenhouse gas inventories, forecasts, climate action plans, and monitoring at the community-wide or government-operations scales.

C40's Climate Action Planning Resource Centre brings together a wide range of resources and tools to support city climate planners in the process of delivering action consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. New resources and tools will be added as they become available.

The HFC Initiative's overall objective is to significantly reduce the projected growth in the use and emissions of high-GWP HFCs in coming decades.

Climate CoLab, a project of the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence, is an online community and contest platform where over 100,000 people work with experts and eachother to create, analyze, and select detailed proposals for what to do about climate change. Climate CoLab has hosted over 90 contests to help cities, companies, and organizations of all kinds surface and assess projects and policies on how to reduce emissions and prepare for climate impacts, with topics such as transportation efficiency, shifting public attitudes and behaviors, building climate resilience, and many others.

By constructively engaging a broad range of scientists, policymakers, business people, practitioners, investors, and concerned citizens, we hope Climate CoLab can help build -- and gain momentum for -- plans for achieving global climate change goals that are more detailed, actionable, and effective than any that would have otherwise been developed.

Climate CoLab has worked with Nike; the City of Boulder, CO; the University of Cincinnati; and many others. If #WeAreStillIn signatories are interested in collaborating with Climate CoLab to engage stakeholders, and to identify and evaluate actions to meet their climate change contributions, please contact us: Laur Hesse Fisher, lfi@mit.edu

See what programs and policies Climate Mayors cities are undertaking and promoting.

Solar energy is the most accessible and abundant energy source on Earth, and also among the cheapest. Air conditioners, water heaters and anything that operates with gas and electricity can run on solar power. This guide is aimed at helping educate home or business owners about the ins and outs of solar energy, as well as helping them read reviews on some of the top solar companies so they know what to expect.

Motivating regular folks to be part of the climate solution is critical—and doable. Cool Choices offers a game-based online platform that successfully inspires individual action while aggregating the results of those actions—which empowers individuals and whole groups. Customizable to your specific priorities, Cool Choices accelerates momentum within businesses and across whole communities.

The Cool Congregations program is designed to support faith communities as they “walk the talk” by reducing their own carbon footprint, thus helping to cool the planet. A side benefit of the program is the ‘multiplier effect,’ as congregants are encouraged to model the same energy saving behavior at home that they see at their congregation.

Creation Justice Ministries has produced a number of publications and readings relevant to various intersections of faith and climate. These are inclusive readings coming from a predominately Christian perspective. Note: An email is requested in order to acess the materials provided. Climate and Poverty

Building a Firm Foundation: Building Guide for Churches

Faithful Budget, Faithful Stewardship: An Analysis of Energy Subsidies and Poverty Assistance Programs

Energy Stewardship: Using Smart Grids and Emerging Technologies for Protecting God's Creation

African Americans and Climate Change

Climate and Church: How Global Climate Change Will Impact Core Church Ministries

Just Climate: Study Guide for Adult Christian Education

Bottom Line Ministries that Matter: Congregational Stewardship with Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Technologies

Cry of Creation: A Call for Climate Justice

It's God's World: A Call for Climate Justice

Introduction to Carbon Fasting

Collectively, archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, ethnographic resources, museum collections, and historic buildings and structures connect one generation to the next. The Cultural Resources Climate Change Strategy sets out a vision and broad approach for managing impacts to and learning from cultural resources under modern climate change.

The State and Local Solution Center provides resources to advance successful, high-impact energy efficiency and renewable energy policies, programs, and projects.

Cities around the world are introducing electric buses, driven by growing concerns over urban air quality, carbon emissions and potential operational cost savings. The timing is now right for cities to start shifting to electrified transport but there are still several barriers to widespread adoption. This report, authored by Bloomberg New Energy Finance on behalf of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, provides an overview of the e-bus sector, including a description of business models, an overview of existing e-bus manufacturers and a detailed analysis of the costs associated with running e-buses. The report also discusses how different types of cities can best deploy electric buses.

Cities around the world are introducing electric buses, driven by growing concerns over urban air quality, carbon emissions and potential operational cost savings. The timing is now right for cities to start shifting to electrified transport but there are still several barriers to widespread adoption. This report, authored by Bloomberg New Energy Finance on behalf of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, provides an overview of the e-bus sector, including a description of business models, an overview of existing e-bus manufacturers and a detailed analysis of the costs associated with running e-buses. The report also discusses how different types of cities can best deploy electric buses.

Energy Star has tools and resources specifically designed for congregations, including information and workbooks, and a list of external faith-based environmental stewardship organizations

Based on the successful practices of Energy Star partners, these guidelines for energy management can assist your organization in improving its energy and financial performance while distinguishing your organization as an environmental leader. Thousands of organizations have used the Guidelines to tailor their approach towards managing energy that delivers results and demonstrates leadership.

Energy Star Portfolio Manager is an online tool you can use to measure and track energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Use it to benchmark the performance of one building or a whole portfolio of buildings, all in a secure online environment.

Contact: ev100@theclimategroup.org EV100 Webpage

EV100 Webinars

EV100 Members

This two page document, endorsed by 22+ faith organizations of varying denominations, outlines principles on Climate Change from a faith perspective.

Global Forest Watch (GFW) is an online platform that provides data and tools for monitoring forests. By harnessing cutting-edge technology, GFW allows anyone to access near real-time information about where and how forests are changing around the world.

The Green Faith Certification Program is a 2 year environmental leadership program for houses of worship. GreenFaith provides faith organizations of different demoninations with extensive resources, one-on-one coaching, support, and networking opportunities to help develop holistic & successful environmental programming.

A GRF is an internal investment vehicle that provides financing to parties within an organization for implementing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other sustainability projects that generate cost savings. The goal of this Implementation Guide is to provide practical guidance for designing, implementing, and managing a green revolving fund (GRF) at a college, university, or other institution

Cities and businesses are separately preparing for climate change and building their resilience to impacts. But they have not had guidance on how to work together, until now. This report lays out the value in public-private collaboration on city climate resilience planning, and recommends to city resilience planners specific actions they can take to bring their business community into the climate resilience planning process.

The Guide to Purchasing Green Power is intended for organizations that are considering the merits of buying green power as well as those that have decided to buy it and want help doing so. The guide was written for a broad audience, including businesses, government agencies, universities, and all organizations wanting to diversify their energy supply and reduce the environmental impact of their electricity use.

Engagement by the private sector that is collaborative, serious and solutions-oriented is vital, and can help ensure widespread support for sustainability and climate action. This report is designed to help companies and other private sector actors inform and accelerate the policies most urgently needed to support a stable global economy.

After enrolling, the Health Care Climate Challenge provides participants with easy-to-use resources to help support climate-smart solutions and a login to submit data. Practice Greenhealth members have access to additional resources to complete the challenge and their data can be automatically uploaded from the Climate page of the Environmental Excellence Awards.

Consumer goods manufacturers and retailers are increasingly looking to life cycle assessment (LCA) for insight into their products’ full life cycle to identify opportunities for reducing environmental impacts across the whole supply chain.

The Solar Market Pathways project, a U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office initiative, has supported 14 innovative solar projects around the country with the goal of increasing solar energy adoption by reducing the soft costs associated with solar. These projects have generated an abundance of new online tools and how-to guides that include financial calculators, increasingly sophisticated rooftop solar potential tools, manuals, checklists, and software to integrate solar with battery storage systems. They focus on community solar, energy resilience, new markets, colleges and universities, and multi-family housing.

This webinar, which complements the publication Resilient Solar: Powering and Empowering Communities, shares the stories of trailblazing resilient solar projects in New York City, Baltimore, and San Francisco, and connects viewers to tools, resources, and lessons learned that they can put to use in their own communities.

This publication shares the stories of trailblazing resilient solar projects in New York City, Baltimore, Duluth, and San Francisco, and connects readers to tools, resources, and lessons learned that they can put to use in their own communities.

A collection of prayers and sermons focused on climate care, justice, and stewardship, shared among faith denominations to provided guidance and inspiration for faith leaders and organizations

To build support for local climate solutions, mayors and other leaders must effectively engage citizens and stakeholders within their communities. A key step is to ensure that leaders are well equipped to communicate local climate solutions to their citizens. This guide provides that support. Featuring research-proven practices for successful climate communication, this guide is a vital tool in every community leader’s tool kit. From talking points to counterpoints, “dos” and “don’ts,” proven steps to create custom messages, and a model speech, the guide helps political leaders to successfully integrate climate into conversations, speaking engagements, and other communications.

This guide is intended to help local governments go beyond pledges and move toward action on implementing the Paris Agreement.

Contact: Valanko@wbcsd.org LCTPi Website

LCTPi 2017 Progress Report

LCTPi Impact Analysis

This report was prepared by the City of Minneapolis Public Works Department and the Fleet Services Division as requested by the Minneapolis City Council on the replacement of the currently used City-wide fleet of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with electric vehicle (EV) fleet technology based on the anticipated costs and environmental benefits of this transition over the coming years. The report presents multiple different approaches the City could take in the transition to an EV fleet of vehicles, which can be chosen based on the availability of funds to procure an EV fleet within the current purchasing model of vehicle replacement utilized by the City’s Fleet Services Division.

Earn your "Green Doctor Recognition certificate" by comitting to reduce your impact in 7 key areas: Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Water Efficiency, Waste Reduction, Drug Disposal and Chemicals, Transportation, and Food.

The NAFA Sustainable Accredited Program is flexible enough for those looking to start a sustainable fleet program or for those looking to improve their already successful program on reducing environmental impact and improving your bottom line.

The National Climate Assessment summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future. A team of more than 300 experts guided by a 60-member Federal Advisory Committee produced the report, which was extensively reviewed by the public and experts, including federal agencies and a panel of the National Academy of Sciences. You can explore the projected impacts science shows your region of the country will face due to climate change.

NNOCCI focuses unites climate scientists, informal science educators, and social scientists to explore and develop best practices for zoos, museums, and other cultural institutions to explain and communicate climate change

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) is an action-oriented nonprofit dedicated to advancing natural refrigerants to create a more sustainable, climate-friendly future for supermarket refrigeration.

This guide is designed to help cities plan for a transition towards 100% renewable electricity supply. Cities and their partners will be able to use “Pathways to 100” to 1) understand their unique energy landscape, 2) identify strategies that are applicable to their utility and state policy context, and 3) organize city staff and external networks to support energy supply transformation.

The six Principles for Responsible Investment are a voluntary and aspirational set of investment principles that offer a menu of possible actions for incorporating ESG issues into investment practice.

Effective public engagement is not easy to achieve. This roadmap helps organizations get to where they want to go. Get started by reviewing The Toolkit. It’s filled with ideas about structuring your process and loads of hands-on activities you can try. Interested in reading about 21st century engagement practices in depth? Check out The Guide for a deep conceptual review or go directly to the five Case Studies for specific examples. And for a really unique experience, play The Game as a team building exercise for those leading your engagement process.

Changing policy and market dynamics have led a number of investors and other stakeholders to question whether loans or investments in carbon-intensive physical assets or companies could be at risk. This framework focuses principally on non-physical risks, such as policy, market, and technology risks, associated with carbon and climate change.

This report reviews the strategies and metrics available to investors seeking to measure and improve the climate friendliness of their portfolios, defined as the intent to reduce GHG emissions and aid the transition to a low-carbon economy through investment activities

Global natural resource scarcity, climate change, population growth, demographic shifts, and extreme poverty are impacting the way investors view the future. A new paper by World Resources Institute finds strong interest and opportunities for sustainable investing within the US institutional investor marketplace. But key barriers persist.

Contact: info@RE100.org RE100 Joining Criteria

RE100 Technical Criteria

RE100 Company Case Studies

RE100 Annual Report

Events and Webinars

Reports and Briefings

News

If you are committed to buying renewable energy, connect with the Renewable Energy Buyer’s Alliance (REBA). The four NGO initiatives that form REBA: WWF’s Buyers’ Principles, RMI’s Business Renewables Center, WRI’s Electricity Initiative, and BSR’s Future of Internet can help simplify renewable energy purchasing in the US or international markets. Contact Information: Marty Spitzer at marty.spitzer@wwfus.org for the WWF/Renewable Energy Buyers Principles; Lily Donge at donge@rmi.org for the RMI/Business Renewables Center; Letha Tawney at ltawney@wri.org for the WRI/Electricity Iniative; Michael Rohwer at mrohwer@bsr.org for the BSR/Future of Internet Power.

The RE100 Criteria define what counts as renewable electricity for the purpose of participation in the RE100 campaign. This document outlines the options available to companies making progress towards 100% renewable electricity consumption, and basic requirements for making claims about the use of that electricity and its attributes.

In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the Obama administration, in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation, launched the innovative Rebuild by Design (RBD) competition, which sought to inspire affected communities to rebuild differently in ways that would enhance their physical, economic, social, and environmental resilience. This report aims to capture and share lessons learned from the innovative process for developing the RBD proposals and the novel projects that were generated through this competition.

The Renewable Energy 101 guide includes a series of fact sheets highlighting 10 key tools to help colleges and universities build a 100 percent clean, renewable energy system.

Outpost: Plugging in to Renewables Organic Valley: Making Local Partnerships to Achieve 100% Renewable Power by 2019

Google: Achieving Our 100% Renewable Energy Purchasing Goal and Going Beyond

RE100 Company Case Studies

Contact: arnell@ceres.org Guide for Responsible Corporate Engagement in Climate Policy sets out a program of action for companies wishing to demonstrate best practice in policy engagement.

The We Mean Business Climate Policy Tracker is a freely available online platform designed to help businesses determine which climate policies are relevant to them across key regions and sectors.

InfluenceMap Scoring Table: Corporations and Influencers assesses, ranks and communicates the extent to which corporations are lobbying climate and energy policy worldwide.

Contact: info@sciencebasedtargets.org SBTi Criteria

Call to Action Guidelines

• Step 1: Commit - download the commitment letter (note: see letter for financial institutions here)

• Step 2: Develop - consult the SBTi Criteria methods page and SDA tool

• Step 3: Submit - target submission form and guidance

• Step 4: Announce - companies taking action page, news, blogs, case studies

FAQ

Draft SBT Manual

GHG Protocol Value Chain (Scope 3 Standard)

GHG Protocol Corporate Standard

Scope 3 Evaluator Tool

Already committed to a science-based target? Learn about Net-Zero by 2050 to accelerate transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Contact:takeaction@wemeanbusinesscoalition.org Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

CCAC Initiatives

BSR Report on Private-Sector Climate Change Leadership

Solar Market Pathways brings together 14 diverse teams from across the country under a single goal: to increase solar energy adoption by reducing the soft costs associated with solar.

Solar Market Pathways brings together 14 diverse teams from across the country under a single goal: to increase solar energy adoption by reducing the soft costs associated with solar.

SolSmart recognizes cities, counties, and small towns for making it faster, easier, and more affordable to go solar. A national team of experts provides no-cost technical assistance to help local governments become "open for solar businesses." In recognition of their achievements, communities receive designations of SolSmart Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

SolSmart recognizes cities, counties, and small towns for making it faster, easier, and more affordable to go solar. A national team of experts provides no-cost technical assistance to help local governments become "open for solar businesses." In recognition of their achievements, communities receive designations of SolSmart Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

Contact: takeaction@wemeanbusinesscoalition.org CDP’s Forests Program

CDP 2017 Global Forest Report

Tropical Forest Alliance 2020

Consumer Goods Forum

CDP’s Supply Chain Program

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

Contact: michael.zimonyi@cdsb.net Read the full commitment text

The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) Framework is a voluntary reporting framework designed to elicit climate change-related information of value to investors in mainstream financial reports.

The CDSB Commitment FAQs

The WBCSD CEO Guide to climate-related financial disclosures

The Climate Collaborative is a coalition of manufacturers, retailers, distributors, brokers, suppliers and other concerned businesses from the natural foods industry working collaboratively to take bold action to reverse climate change.

The Green Freight Handbook was created by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to assist companies in developing strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and overall costs linked to freight transportation.

The Oceanic Standard offers a clear approach for reducing single-use waste

EPA offers a proven strategy for superior energy management with tools and resources to help each step of the way. Based on the successful practices of ENERGY STAR partners, these guidelines for energy management illustrated by the graphic below/above can help local governments improve energy and financial performance while distinguishing themselves as an environmental leader.

EPA’s Local Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool was developed to help communities across the United States to evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions. Use this tool to compile a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for your entire community or for local government operations in particular.

This page presents a variety of resources for how to generate renewable energy on-site, purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) and purchasing renewable power directly.

Urban Efficiency II: Seven Innovative City Programmes for Existing Building Energy Efficiency builds on research in the successful predecessor “Urban Efficiency” Report and captures seven new detailed city case studies from C40 member cities. It is primarily targeted at city-level policy makers and decision makers across the world. The report increases the resource and evidence base available to support cities understanding of the characteristics and impact of innovative city programmes emerging across C40 cities, that advance operational energy efficiency and retrofitting in existing, privately owned buildings.

Urban Efficiency II: Seven Innovative City Programmes for Existing Building Energy Efficiency builds on research in the successful predecessor “Urban Efficiency” Report and captures seven new detailed city case studies from C40 member cities. It is primarily targeted at city-level policy makers and decision makers across the world. The report increases the resource and evidence base available to support cities understanding of the characteristics and impact of innovative city programmes emerging across C40 cities, that advance operational energy efficiency and retrofitting in existing, privately owned buildings.

Contact: takeaction@wemeanbusinesscoalition.org Business Alliance for Water and Climate (BAFWAC)

[BAFWACTools & Resources](https://bafwac.org/BAFWAC Tools & Resources)

Alliance for Water Stewardship

CDP’s Water Security Program

CDP 2017 Global Water Report

WRI’s Aqueduct: Measuring and mapping water risk

WBCSD’s Global Water Tool

Learn about the latest global movements in renewable energy and groundbreaking renewable energy initiatives being realized by Climate Collaborative committed companies. Speakers from the RE 100 campaign, Dr. Bronner’s, and Organic Valley will join to share practical information and case studies on how companies can ramp up their use of renewables.

This webinar looks at energy efficiency trends, as well as specific programs and funding options to grow your company’s investment in and access to energy efficiency.

Nancy Hirshberg of Hirshberg Strategic provides an overview of the climate impacts of packaging across product lifecycles, and identifies strategies companies can employ to reduce the impacts.

Speakers from the Environmental Defense Fund and Happy Family Brands discuss best practices around reducing climate impacts through transportation.

The Catholic Climate Covenant has produced a series of webinars which deal with various aspects and intersections of Catholicism and the environment, which can be viewed here