Climate Action Plan 3.0
Pittsburgh has already begun to experience the effects of climate change with harsher winters, hotter summers, record-setting precipitation, and increased varieties of invasive species. Coordinated and comprehensive carbon mitigation action is needed to reduce the severity of regional impacts and prepare for low carbon economy. To address these challenges, the City created the Climate Action Plan.
Pittsburgh's Climate Action Plan 3.0 lays out strategies through which the City can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reducing Pittsburgh's contribution to global climate change.
Pittsburgh Climate Dashboard
The Climate Dashboard is an interactive tool that makes it easy to track Pittsburgh's progress towards the goals in the Climate Action Plan 3.0
Created in partnership with ICLEI USA and developed by ClimateView, this powerful platform streamlines the climate action process through smarter data, dynamic economic and emissions modeling, and cross-departmental collaboration that helps local governments turn climate plans into measurable action.
Measuring Pittsburgh's Impact
Pittsburgh’s goal is to measure climate and ecological impact, and report findings, annually. The Greenhouse Gas Inventory quantifies emissions and analyzes the sources of those emissions. This data helps to inform mitigation strategies and is essential for tracking progress toward future reduction goals.
Energy Generation and Distribution
By 2030, Pittsburgh will reduce emissions by 50% from 2003 amounts and power all City facilities with 100% clean energy. Through efforts to reduce line loss and modernizing energy systems, this goal can become a reality.
Buildings and End Use Efficiency
As part of fighting climate change in our city, Pittsburgh’s goal is to reduce energy and water consumption by 50% by 2030. This goal can be achieved through improving the quality of energy and water use data, ensuring all new buildings are carbon neutral, mitigating high energy burdens in vulnerable communities, reducing sewer volume by 50% from 2013 levels, and improving efficiency of public street lights and traffic signals.
Transportation and Land Use
Pittsburgh’s goals are to reduce on-road transportation emissions by 50%, reduce vehicle miles traveled per capita by 50%, reduce freight emissions by 25%, and increase vehicle electrification. Through increasing walking and biking commutes, increasing Port Authority bus and light rail ridership, and expanding transit hubs, these goals can be achieved.
Waste and Resource Recovery
Pittsburgh strives to be zero-waste landfilled by 2030. By modernizing waste collection systems, improving education around waste diversion efforts, increasing composting, and enforcing waste policies, Pittsburgh can reach this goal.
Food and Agriculture
Improving local food systems in the Greater Pittsburgh area is a key piece of climate mitigation for the city. Increasing the supply and demand of local produce strengthens the local food system, increases local profitability, and decreases the climate impact of transportation and sales.
Urban Ecosystems
Urban ecosystems—cities, towns and urban strips constructed by humans—impact the environment around them. Pittsburgh’s goal is to increase tree canopy and biodiversity, improve urban soil conditions, prioritize habitat conversion, and implement guidelines for additional greenways.
2030 Goals
Pittsburgh has established six climate mitigation goals to achieve by 2030, including:
- 100% renewable energy in City facilites
- 50% energy and water use reduction in City facilities
- Operate a fossil-fuel-free fleet
- Divestment of the City pension fund from fossil fuels
- 50% transportation emissions reduction citywide
- Zero-waste citywide
Pittsburgh is committed to:
- Milan Urban Food Policy Pact
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Sierra Club Ready for 100
- Carbon Disclosure Project
- Biophilic Cities Network
- Urban Sustainability Directors Network
- Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities
- American Cities Climate Challenge
Carbon Mitigation Actions
Transportation
Through leveraging grant funding and vehicle turnover cycles, the City of Pittsburgh has been purchasing alternatively fueled and hybrid vehicles for its fleet as technology becomes available. These vehicles include electric sedans for building inspectors, hybrid police vehicles, and CNG refuse trucks.
In 2019, the Sustainability & Resilience division convened an Electric Vehicle Task Force to provide recommendations to enable residents and fleets to easily charge and operate electric vehicles. In 2021, the City, in partnership with the American Cities Climate Challenge and the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, developed an EV Charging Strategic Plan for Pittsburgh Public Facilities. Read both documents below.
EV Task Force Recommendations(PDF, 1MB)
EV Charging Strategic Plan for Pittsburgh Public Facilities(PDF, 4MB)