Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change
Proud to be endorsed by Climate Action Organizations
Climate change is an imminent threat to the planet that requires every community to contribute to a solution. We are already seeing the effects of climate change in extreme weather events around the globe. We have a responsibility to implement policies that encourage sustainable practices. Newton must be a leader in ensuring we meet the targets required by the science to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
Bryan has long been a strong advocate for Newton’s Climate Action Plan, which the city adopted in 2019. The plan puts our city on the path to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but Bryan knows that we need to exceed that goal. If communities like Newton can’t get to Net Zero ahead of time and lead the way forward, how will we ever expect the rest of our state, our country, or our planet to get there? Bryan is committed to taking the necessary steps to fully implement the plan and ensure we not just meet, but exceed, our carbon reduction targets.
These goals require us to become greener, more walkable, more bikeable, with better public transit and with more options for the average person to live a less carbon-centric life. We are going to need to use every tool at our disposal to meet our climate goals.
Bryan strongly supports Mayor Ruthanne Fuller's decision to go to 80% renewable energy for residential energy customers through Newton Power Choice. His household has opted up to the 100% renewable energy option, and he will work to encourage greater adoption of this option. This is the perfect example of Newton leading the way for other communities to follow.
We must shift away from fossil fuel infrastructure and towards electric infrastructure, especially for heating our buildings. The most difficult part of getting to net zero for cold weather communities will be retrofitting existing buildings to utilize electric heat. We must ensure that new buildings are built to a net zero standard, using every tool at our disposal. Bryan worked with Brookline Representative Tommy Vitolo to draft legislation that would require electric heating, so this is an issue he knows well and plans to lead on within the City Council. If the Governor signs the environmental bill including the Net Zero Stretch Energy Code, Bryan has called for Newton to be the very first community to adopt it.
Bryan supports transportation policies that make it more convenient to rely on more environmentally friendly modes of transportation and leave the car at home. He also supports transit-oriented development and views the creation of more multifamily housing near village centers and public transportation as a critical tool in combating global climate change. Some studies have estimated that cities could cut their emissions by as much as a third based on improvements in housing alone.
Bryan knows the impact government can make on environmental sustainability first hand: He played a key role in developing nation-leading climate legislation that passed the Massachusetts Senate in 2018 and is an active member of Green Newton and Newton Mothers Out Front. Newton’s environmental advocacy community will continue to have a strong ally with Bryan on the City Council by working to meet Newton’s Climate Action goals and protecting our outdoor spaces.