Sustainable Pittsburgh

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Environment Working Group

Using the colored icons below, select a goal to see the targets for southwestern Pennsylvania. Each target may also include Sample Relevant data sources, regional indicators, and Sample Local Programs and Resources. You will also see the corresponding global target. As with all visioning projects, these will continue to evolve.

Affordable and Clean Energy

Narrative:

PA is a large energy producing state: the Commonwealth is the second largest nuclear energy producer; second largest natural gas producer and third largest coal producing state.

Solar electricity production has increased while geothermal energy production has stayed flat.

Natural gas is less carbon intensive than coal, but it is not zero-carbon. Natural gas surpassed coal in CO2 produced in 2019.

We must continue to find ways to be more energy efficient while transitioning to renewable energy sources.

Regional Targets

All people have zero carbon electricity options available as the default choice at stable, cost-competitive rates, regardless of zip code.

UNSDG Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Electric choice signups and data on renewable installations. Data in aggregate format and not by community.

Local Examples

  • Allegheny County is always concerned about the best use of taxpayer money and is aware of affordability and efficiency, especially when it comes to purchasing our energy. We also want to use our money effectively to support the community. Our goal is to use our buying power to improve affordability of cleaner energy with renewable sourcing for low-income families in mind.
Clean energy, including renewable electricity, is available and accessible to all utility customers, and is supported by local/regional program offerings and policies (such as incentives for utilities, a regional marketplace for renewable energy, a regional residential energy efficiency program accessible by households at all income levels, etc.)

UNSDG Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Electric choice signups and data on renewable installations. Data in aggregate form and not by community.

Local Examples

  • ALT Carbon Credits program to sell offsets, wanting to help build a regional market, certification program for water and carbon sequestration; are often asked about hosting community solar sized projects on ALT land.
Increase in uptake of energy efficiency and clean energy incentives by residential/commercial sectors.

UNSDG Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

Known Datasets

Innovators are supported. Clean and renewable energy is a key strategy with dedicated funding, financing, and investment streams that support intentionally inclusive regional growth.

UNSDG Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Investments in energy research to local institutions and firms

Local Examples

  • UrbanKind: Equity is always at the forefront of their work and making sure that any solutions/projects have the input of the community to benefit those they claim to serve. In addition to that, the organization always tries to deliver information so that it educates and raises awareness across various sectors.
The electricity grid has been modernized to accommodate the technological changes happening in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. All energy infrastructure is transitioning, per global call for decarbonization by 2050. Energy water nexus infrastructure is embedded throughout the region.

UNSDG Target 7.b: By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing states, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • What can Duquesne Light give us across the service area?

Local Examples

  • UrbanKind: Equity is always at the forefront of their work and making sure that any solutions/projects have the input of the community to benefit those they claim to serve. In addition to that, the organization always tries to deliver information so that it educates and raises awareness across various sectors.
  • Allegheny County is always concerned about the best use of taxpayer money and is aware of affordability and efficiency, especially when it comes to purchasing our energy. We also want to use our money effectively to support the community. The goal is to use buying power to improve affordability of cleaner energy with renewable sourcing for low-income families in mind.

Responsible Consumption and Production

Regional Targets

Materials management programs and services holistically address the treatment, disposal, and re-use of all wastes and chemicals, and are shared across all political jurisdictions to increase capacity and accessibility. Waste generated by and brought into the region is reduced via the creation and expansion of policies, facilities, initiatives, and services that prevent, reduce, recycle, and re-use waste, with a special attention to organic and hazardous waste.

UNSDG Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Capacity of composting vendors, systems, landfills
  • By weight and/or volume
  • CONNECT waste survey/report
  • By commodity

Local Examples

  • City of Pittsburgh Plastic Bag Ban legislation
  • City of Pittsburgh composting pilot
  • County procurement policy proposed Feb 2023
  • PRC Zero Waste Event and Technical Assistance programs
  • PRC Household Chemical, Tire, Glass and E-waste collections
  • PCCR, Construction Junction, Off the floor – Reuse Mission focused nonprofit
  • County specific material collections: Beaver, Fayette, Westmoreland
  • Goodwill as textile recycling partner
Companies prevent and reduce waste via circular procurement, product design, manufacturing, and business models, supported by a regional marketplace for material re-use.

UNSDG Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

Local Examples

All members of the public understand how their purchasing decisions, household consumption patterns, and waste practices relate to regional goals for sustainable development and have access to standardized information, services, and resources to reduce and prevent waste generation.

UNSDG Target 12.7: Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities.

Potential Indicators

  • Single-use product purchase data
  • Waste metrics for public collections and reduction in illegal dump sites

Local Examples

  • PRC
  • City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and municipalities
  • Universities as communicators
Public policy diverts the funds for fossil-fuel subsidies towards a just job transition to renewable energy. When fossil-fuel subsidies are granted, they include metrics ensuring the equitable treatment of the communities that facilities are sited in, including the reduction of emissions and pollution.

UNSDG Target 12.c: Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities.

Climate Action

Narrative:

Higher surface temperatures + larger volumes of water = harmful algae blooms and pollution in our rivers.This is a major concern because of the neurotoxicity levels in our waterways – where we source our drinking water and recreate.

Wealthier communities flood their downstream neighbors (ex: McKnight Road contributes to flooding in Millvale). This localized flooding causes basement backups in many communities across Pittsburgh, but is a huge environmental justice issue due to low-income BIPOC communities residing in many of these lowland areas that flood. Beyond the more obvious dangers and costs associated with flooding, there are many health effects from breathing in that air and being exposed to sewage in the home.

Addressing our region’s flooding problems is expensive and the financial and health burden shared with those not directly threatened. This messaging can help us think more proactively and instill a sense of shared responsibility.

Regional Targets

All neighborhoods, communities, community buildings, and infrastructure, including power infrastructure, are fortified and sufficiently resourced to respond to extreme weather events and other climate impacts.

UNSDG Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Capital budget data
  • Climate change investments
  • NASA First Street data

Local Examples

  • ALT urban greening initiatives prioritize returning green spaces to areas that are lacking green space to reduce energy burden (tree shading, humidity modulation).
  • WPC works with communities to install green infrastructure, including tree planting, stormwater management, park and green space access, etc. This includes robust community engagement to build community knowledge, support, and capacity around community greening.
  • Municipalities are implementing stormwater utility fees and should have datasets based on impervious surfaces on parcels, both commercial and residential.
Climate change considerations are supported and incorporated into policy and planning at the property owner, municipal, and regional level. Local partners are engaged in state-level policy and planning decisions, with regional stakeholders serving as examples and effective advocates for incorporating climate considerations at the state and federal level.

UNSDG Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Collect data on jurisdictions with a climate action plan

Local Examples

  • CONNECT: Work centers around promoting climate action (both mitigation & adaptation) by local governments for themselves and their communities. The two most important sectors of action in CONNECT are the residential sector and addressing regional vulnerabilities.
  • PRC is looking to connect waste management more directly with its GHG impacts as well as in their approach to review Act 101.
  • Sustainable Pittsburgh works with businesses and local governments to reduce their energy use. The organization helps by partnering in many climate action planning processes and by convening conversations about renewable energy workforce and adoption.
  • At the Mayor’s Infrastructure Outreach session, several attendees requested they make it an official policy to have climate considered in all decision-making.
Decision-makers and the public operate based on appropriate and accurate scientific knowledge, modeling, and awareness of technical resources and land use improvements across the board and in planning activities. Residents and businesses understand the need for pathways to local and global decarbonization, including in buildings and infrastructure.

UNSDG Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • UCSUR QOL Survey: Include questions about climate change awareness and willingness to invest in renewable energy.

Local Examples

  • Sustainable Pittsburgh works with businesses and local governments to reduce their energy use. The organization helps by partnering in many climate action planning processes and by convening conversations about renewable energy workforce and adoption.
The region offers accessible and equitable financial support for mitigation needs that benefit both communities and the environment. This includes easier access to green bonds for smaller organizations and financial institution support for multi-municipal green bonds.

UNSDG Target 13.a: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Assess available funding sources by collecting data

Local Examples

  • UrbanKind: Equity is always at the forefront of their work and making sure that any solutions/projects have the input of the community to benefit those we claim to serve. In addition to that, the organization always tries to deliver information so that it educates and raises awareness across various sectors.
  • RESOURCE: Federal Funding Guide
Fair and equitable frameworks exist for assisting and/or compensating people and communities for impacts from climate-related disasters (e.g. floodplains, steel slopes).

UNSDG Target 13.b: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Assess available funding sources by collecting data

Local Examples

Life Below Water

Narrative:

Higher surface temperatures + larger volumes of water = harmful algae blooms and pollution in our rivers. This is a major concern because of the neurotoxicity levels in our waterways – where we source our drinking water and recreate.

Wealthier communities flood their downstream neighbors (ex: McKnight Road contributes to flooding in Millvale). This localized flooding causes basement backups in many communities across Pittsburgh, but is a huge environmental justice issue due to low-income BIPOC communities residing in many of these lowland areas that flood. Beyond the more obvious dangers and costs associated with flooding, there are many health effects from breathing in that air and being exposed to sewage in the home.

Addressing our region’s flooding problems is expensive and the financial and health burden shared with those not directly threatened. This messaging can help us think more proactively and instill a sense of shared responsibility.

Regional Targets

Well-funded water management/treatment systems and programs prevent and reduce water pollution, with a special focus on legacy dumping, pharmaceutical contamination, contaminants of effluents, and persistent organic pollutants.

UNSDG Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Consistent levels in water/reduced spikes in tested water
  • Sourcewater protection plans
  • River conservation plans
  • Reduction in harmful algal blooms on the Ohio River
  • AMD treatment installed
  • Linear feet of stream restored (DEP metric for Growing Greener)

Local Examples

Urban waterways meet or exceed state standards for aquatic life, water supply, recreation, and fishing, with healthy and productive beaches, fisheries, and marinas returning to and thriving throughout the region.

UNSDG Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.

Known Datasets

Potential Indicators

  • Goal to have the Ohio River PCBs low enough to consume more than ONE fish per MONTH.
  • Water quality data from drinking water intakes, local monitoring efforts (3RWK, etc.) and DEP/USGS
  • Number of sewage overflows and nutrients in water
  • Reduce the number of days for contact warning with rivers

Local Examples

  • AMD identification and remediation projects (WPC, ACCD, ALT, watershed groups)
  • Watershed and water conservation plans and implementation efforts

Life on Land

Narrative:

The Community Needs Index hotspots overlap more heavily with the heat and flood risk hotspots outside of the city.

For example, Neville Island, McKeesport, and Braddock all face higher levels of heat and flood risk as well as a heightened community need assessment. These three municipalities are located in redlined, industrial-zoned communities with higher emission rates and higher areas of impervious surfaces. These conditions create heat islands and prevent the natural soaking of rainwater into the ground and slowly seeping into streams.

Conversely, inside the city, the heat and flood hotspots seem to be more opposite the community needs index and in areas with more development happening such as the Southside and Strip District.

Regional Targets

Improve air quality in the region through strategies such as investing in clean energy, reuse or remediation of historically polluting sources, mitigation of climate change, increase of urban green space, implementation of a building stock to improve indoor air quality, and implementation of clean transportation. Taking special care to provide quality jobs for union workers who are transitioning from the extractive industry.

Known Datasets

Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and their services, with particular attention to forests and the remediation of brownfields. Preserve and expand contiguous green space and empower citizens with resources for better stewardship.

UNSDG Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.

Known Datasets

Promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and provide permanent protection for the largest blocks of SWPA forests.

UNSDG Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.

Known Datasets

Combat degradation of soil and landslides as a result of increased precipitation and extreme weather events brought on by global climate change. Restore degraded land and soil including land affected by drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral region.

UNSDG Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.

Known Datasets

Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

UNSDG Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

Known Datasets

Introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems, and control or eradicate the priority species.

UNSDG Target 15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species.

Known Datasets

Integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into financial planning, local planning, development processes, procurement strategies, poverty reduction strategies and accounts.

UNSDG Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts.

UNSDG Target 15.a: Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems.

Known Datasets