Keeling Curve

Primary Project Category:

Project Summary / Description:

Climate scientists tell us we must achieve by 2030 what humanity is trying to accomplish by 2050 to avoid irreversible ecological tipping points. To achieve this, we need to change the way we think about change. We need a climate moonshot strategy.

Empowerment Institute‚ Cool City Challenge, created in 2013, is a climate moonshot strategy. Its mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of the world‚ cities which emit 70% of the planet‚ CO2. We partner with qualified cities to implement our moonshot climate action plan methodology.

The plan is a whole system climate solution which integrates bottom-up and top-down change strategies. It is activated through civic engagement at the block and neighborhood level. We believe that by combining these elements, a city will accelerate the speed and magnitude of change needed to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Regions of Operations:

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses), Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Cool Block has evolved from a series of Empowerment Institute behavior change programs delivered across a wide variety of issues, socioeconomic populations, races, gender, ethnicities, and abilities. One in particular, our Livable Neighborhood Program, was designed to address the unique needs of underrepresented people of color in Philadelphia and other urban cities. 

You can learn more at: 
https://www.empowermentinstitute.net/community/livable-neighborhood

The Cool Block program also builds on Empowerment Institute‚ women's empowerment program, IMAGINE. This program has been delivered to tens of thousands of women facing many social and economic challenges across Africa, India and the Middle East. 

You can learn more at: 
https://imagineprogram.net

We have integrated all this learning into the Cool Block program and are now delivering a frontline community version of it in South LA as part of our Cool LA initiative,

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