Digital Commons Network^™

Facilitating Greenhouse Gas Reduction And Climate Change Adaptation Within The Coastal Zone: A Policy Analysis For The California Coastal Commission, Nicole Young

Master's Theses

California is already experiencing impacts to its coastline due to climate change, and more severe impacts are anticipated if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. These climate change impacts are especially strong within the California coastal zone, which falls under the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission. The Commission has a history of rigorous environmental protection and is committed to protecting California’s coast through proactive planning and regulation, however they will need to initiate coastal policies with ambitious targets to facilitate effective climate change adaptation and mitigation. This study analyzed existing California climate policies and Coastal Commission policies to identify …

Embodied Carbon: A Framework For Prioritizing And Reducing Emissions In The Building Industry, Natalie C. Wheating

Master's Projects and Capstones

Global climate change is one of the most impactful environmental issues in modern times, and the construction industry is known to be one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions—one of the key causes of climate change. Embodied carbon emissions of buildings are an often overlooked, but significant, influencer of a building’s overall carbon footprint. This gives rise to the need for improved life cycle analysis of buildings and identification of opportunities to reduce the total carbon footprint of a building throughout its life cycle. This paper analyzes the current state of the building industry that limits the consideration of …

Best Cities: Software User Guide, Stephanie Ohshita, C Fino-Chen, L Hong, N Khanna

Environmental Science

The Benchmarking and Energy-Saving Tool for Low Carbon Cities (BEST Cities) is a dynamic decision-making tool, designed to assist local policy makers and urban planners in prioritizing strategies for energy and carbon saving at the city level in China.

China’s 12^th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) targets a reduction in carbon intensity of the economy (CO₂ emissions per unit of GDP) by 17%. In the "Low Carbon Development 2014-2015 energy saving action plan," the State Council calls for interim targets of more than 4% in 2014 and more than 3.5% in 2015. The …