October 15, 2010
Ona Ferguson, Patrick Field, David Plumb, and Todd Schenk, worked with the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts to facilitate dialogues about climate change policies and practices within the city. Between December 2009 and March 2010, they facilitated three citizen-led sessions of the 100-person “Climate Emergency Congress”, helping to develop three proposals and a comprehensive list of actions that city staff, elected officials, community members, and others can take to reduce carbon emissions and respond to the impacts of climate change.
A group of citizen leaders, working together in these sessions, formed the Cambridge Climate Emergency Action Group (CCEAG). CBI then facilitated a series of meetings between CCEAG and top-level city staff and elected officials. Discussions centered on topics such as: what municipal and non-governmental actors are currently doing to address climate change; areas of opportunity for further action and efficiency; the possibility of an overarching campaign; and ongoing collaboration across the many initiatives underway. Discussion results included identifying areas for new action as well as current areas of success, plans for awareness and action campaigns, future meetings, and ongoing communication. At the conclusion of the process, a CCEAG member shared, “CBI’s guidance and fairness during the entire process was essential to the success of these important discussions... [and] have established a framework for optimism and success.”
Read a Summary of Meetings here.