Medford Publishes 20-Year Climate Effort Retrospective

MEDFORD, MA — In honor of Earth Day, Medford has published an update on 20 years worth of climate planning progress in the town.

In 2001, Medford published its first climate plan, which was the first climate adaptation plan created in the state.

The 2021 Retrospective looks back at the goals of the first plan and provides updates on the progress made toward these goals.

“Medford’s original plan set our city apart as a leader in the fight against climate change. Through this Retrospective we are taking a hard look to better understand our progress and re-evaluate our community’s goals,” Mayor Lungo-Koehn said in a prepared statement. “The City is committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 and is working to ensure a healthy, sustainable, and climate-resilient future for all.”

The objective of the 2001 plan was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a focus on municipal and community building energy efficiency, transportation and vehicle emissions, waste and recycling efforts, and more.

Highlights of the report include the creation of the Office of Energy & Environment, oversees and implements environmentally sound programs in the city; adopting the Green Communities Stretch Code to enact stricter building codes; the installation of a wind turbine at the McGlynn Elementary & Middle School, which powers 10% of the school; and the adoption of a Complete Streets policy that aims to accommodate street amenities such as crosswalks and bike lanes.

Later this year Medford plans to release a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which will offer an in-depth report on the proposed actions and strategies to achieve climate resilience.

You can read the full 2021 Retrospective here.