Sustainability in Oxford

Sustainability in Oxford

By Lauren Dysert

Photo Credit:  Shademakers Nursery and Landscape, Oxford, OH

From the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the United States to present times, a span of about 150 years, the global average temperature has risen by 1 degree celsius. By 2050, the global average temperature is expected to rise another 1.5 degrees celsius in only 16% of the timespan. This increasing exponential threat due to climbing global temperatures is bringing attention to the urgency of sustainability and slowing (if not completely reversing) the effects of climate change.

While some positive changes have been made towards the goal of sustainability and combating global warming at the national level, it is often a very lengthy and complicated democratic process. At the local level, however, there is a great deal more autonomy (and often less political conflict) in terms of different approaches to this issue. This is why villages, towns, and cities all across the world are taking matters into their own hands towards the issues of sustainability and global warming.

Oxford, OH, is one of over 13,000 cities which has joined the Global Covenant of Mayors which was established in 2016, a pact amongst governors which aims to make their respective city become carbon neutral (or close to it) by 2050. How each of these towns plan to reach this goal, however, can vary depending on funding, resources, and support.

Sustainability is one of the eight pillars of Oxford’s Comprehensive Plan, demonstrating how strongly these values are held among many in the population. In accordance with this plan, in September 2023, Oxford established its new climate action plan titled Towards a Sustainable, Resilient Future which city councilors and the Climate Action Steering Committee began compiling in February of the previous year. The key points of this agenda include the following:

1. 50% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030, 90% reduction in GHG emissions by 2040, and 100% reduction in GHG emissions by 2045.
2. Create an efficient public system of carbon neutral transportation.
3. Enhance carbon sequestration, a method by which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored on Earth in liquid or solid form.
4. Reduce environmental inequity.
5. Protect natural and nonrenewable resources.
6. Become a zero waste community with mandatory and efficient recycling.
7. Become better prepared for climate change induced natural disasters and storms.

While there are many ideas around how to combat climate change in Oxford, OH, what’s more interesting is how exactly they bring these plans to fruition. There are still a lot of kinks to work out in terms of setting these ideas in stone, but the climate action plan goes into quite a bit of detail as to what is being done now and what can be done in the future.

Some of the most notable changes outlined by this plan include converting all public and street lighting in Oxford to LEDs, promote more incentives for private and public incorporation of solar and wind power, create more media for mechanical carbon-neutral transportation, improve access to public transportation, increase Oxford’s walkability, and ensure equitable access to all sustainable practices.

Miami University, a large public university in Oxford, Ohio, is bound by the city government to follow all of these rules and regulations laid out by Towards a Sustainable, Resilient Future. However, this school has taken these ambitions one step further. In September 2020, Miami University’s President Crawford signed Second Nature’s Climate Commitment, joining the 400 other universities in the University Climate Change Coalition. The university has additionally pledged its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2040, ten years earlier than the city of Oxford and the Global Covenant of Mayors.

Climate change is a remarkably urgent issue by all accounts. Oxford, Ohio, recognizing the gravity of this situation, has pledged lots of its time and resources to become more sustainable, resilient, and proactive for the next 25+ years, and likely beyond. These plans are certainly cutting edge, and incredible progress is being made. However, the work ahead is daunting, and as of right now, there are still many plans and procedures to be made and implemented.

Sources:

Nasa Earth Observatory: Global Temperatures

City of Oxford: Climate Action Plan

Global Covenant of Mayors

Miami University: Sustainability