Methodology
Selecting Priority Strategies
Based on the emissions inventory for New Haven County, provided by NARSLAB, we identified major emissions contributors. For each sector, we developed a list of best mitigation practices by reviewing existing climate action plans across a range of scales and geographies and other literature on sector specific mitigation measures. A review of Connecticut’s existing policies and climate action was also conducted. In addition to this, we visited communities throughout New Haven County and held meetings with different stakeholders, including planners, economic development directors, and climate policymakers. Data collected from community engagement was then used to inform a list of mitigation strategies that are grounded in the realities of the region and that can be implemented at various scales.
Strategy scorecard
To help in identifying priority climate mitigation strategies, we created a scorecard for each sector. Strategies were ranked according to sector-specific indicators and estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction, authority to implement, and the cost to implement each strategy.
The strategies were measured on a –2 to +2 Likert Scale, where orange represents a negative impact and green represents a positive impact. A color gradient has been utilized to indicate whether the impact is neutral (represented by a yellow hue), positive (represented by a light green hue,) or strongly positive (represented by a dark green hue). The strategies that scored most favorably on the scale, with special attention paid to cost and local and regional authority to implement, were chosen as the priority climate mitigation strategies. Within each sector chapter, you will find a written explanation of the selected priority climate mitigation strategies (highlighted in blue in the scorecard). You can view a complete list of priority and non-priority strategies in Appendix A.