Made to Measure
This chapter traces the climate change mitigation policy agendas of New York City, Los Angeles, and Toronto, focusing on the period since 2007, and specifically the tools with which they sought to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The climate change mitigation policy agendas developed by the three cities do reflect their particular context and the process of learning and strategic adjustment over time. Each city has a very unique set of programs and policies in place to target GHG emissions, from energy use benchmarking to installing solar panels to incentivizing alternative modes of transportation. In each case, this mix initially reflected the city's strengths and opportunities. Over time, the cities have expanded and diversified their agendas in response to changing conditions and new information. In some cases, the cities have had to readjust when certain approaches failed or lost political support. In other cases, the cities have sought to take advantage of new opportunities or diversified their agendas in an effort to meet more ambitious goals.