The City of La Crosse’s climate planning consultant, paleBLUEdot, believes effective, meaningful, and community specific climate action planning is grounded in robust data collection and assessment of community existing conditions metrics.  Establishing comprehensive baseline data is a necessary element that provides a point from which to inventory what you have before you set out to improve it, and from there, aid in identifying and establishing strategies, and measuring the progress of them.  The broader the baseline data available, the more effective goalsetting and action planning can be. 

In support of establishing that baseline, paleBLUEdot has compiled a number of research documents.  These documents and a brief overview of their intent can be found below (click on the document image to view the file).

Climate Action Baseline Assessment

This report summarizes findings for each of the sectors anticipated in the Climate Action Plan.  The report provides preliminary recommendations for goals – these recommendations are intended simply as a starting point for the City’s planning process.  The planning team will use these to support discussions and exploration of possibilities.  The final goals that will be included in the Climate Action Plan will be created through the planning process and may differ from the preliminary ones shown here.

2020 Greenhouse Gas Inventory

This report summarizes the greenhouse gas emissions inventory for both municipal operations and community-wide for the year 2020.

Renewable Energy Potentials Study

This assessment provides a high level overview of solar PV renewable energy potential within the City of La Crosse.  The intent of this assessment is to provide a starting point for discussions around goals for distributed renewable energy.  The report is meant simply as a high level review of adaption scenarios to better understand what renewable energy goals might need in order to be accomplished.

Ground Cover, Tree Canopy, and Carbon Sequestration Study

This document reviews the existing ground cover conditions present in La Crosse, including tree canopy, grass, water, and impervious surface coverage shares for each census tract.  Based on that data, the document estimates benefit of the city’s green infrastructure, pollution absorption, carbon sequestration, and even micro heat island impacts.  Using this information the report illustrates census tract by census tract new tree planting that might be needed in order to meet potential city-wide tree canopy coverage goals.  (As with the Climate Action Baseline Assessment, the final goals that will be included in the Climate Action Plan will be created through the planning process and may differ from the preliminary ones shown here)

Climate Vulnerability Assessment

This report reviews climate change projections for the City of La Crosse.  Potential impacts and vulnerabilities are reviewed and summarized to support adaptation planning efforts.