The Cape Cod Commission is the regional land use planning, economic development, and regulatory agency created in 1990 to serve the citizens and 15 towns of Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The Cape Cod Commission’s mission is to protect the unique values and quality of life on Cape Cod by coordinating a balanced relationship between environmental protection and economic progress.
Transportation
Who We Are
The transportation sector currently generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States (29%) and a whopping 55.5% on Cape Cod, according to the region’s planning authority. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation primarily come from burning fossil fuel for our cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes.
We are planners, public transit providers, car owners, planning board members, bicycle advocates, municipal procurement officers, technology advocates, energy committee members, transport company leaders, and climate action network activists.
We believe that by using cleaner vehicle technologies, replacing private vehicle trips with public transit, and building more walkable communities we will help put the world on a path to avoid the worst impacts of climate change while delivering cleaner air and a more equitable and inclusive economy.
We are a new network and welcome your participation. We invite you to share your accomplishments, initiatives, challenges, and resources. Contact capecodclimate@gmail.com to get more involved.
Programs & Partners
Cape Cod Technology Council
Cape Cod Technology Council, Inc. (CCTC) is a membership-based, events-oriented non-profit organization promoting technology and its understanding on Cape Cod, the Islands, and in Southeastern Massachusetts. The organization includes a diverse array of southeastern Massachusetts profit and non-profit companies, organizations, institutions, government entities, health care providers, sole proprietorships and individuals who use technology in their daily operations or who are in the technology industry.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs
EEA seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance the Commonwealth’s environmental resources while ensuring a clean energy future for the state’s residents. Through the stewardship of open space, protection of environmental resources, and enhancement of clean energy, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.
What We Do
Effectively reducing the transportation sector’s carbon footprint will require changes to developmental policies, land use planning and community initiatives, which will also reduce emissions and increase public awareness of sustainability issues. Through education, partnership, advocacy, and resource-sharing, we seek to make the transportation sector greener by helping promote:
- Smart transportation policies that drive innovation, cut pollution, and boost jobs and economic development
- Strong clean vehicle legislation and policies that slash emissions
- Use of clean, accessible, and equitable public transportation systems
- Equity and justice in transitions to green transportation financing and implementation
- Acceleration of the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) for private, public, and commercial use
- Investment and expansion of EV charging station infrastructure and network to promote and optimize EV use
- Adoption of battery electric light-duty vehicles and heavier vehicles like trucks and buses by commercial and public entities.
- Enhanced development of broad band connectivity to increase remote work from home opportunities and reduce total number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on our roads
- Design and construction of roadways to be sustainable, resilient, and beneficial to the surrounding community and ecosystem
- More “smart” walkable communities with mixed-use neighborhoods where residents can reach many of their day-to-day needs without a car
- Regional and municipal land use and development strategies that reduce the need for motorized travel while creating more livable communities.
- Bicycle and pedestrian-friendly policies, plans and programs to enhance construction of bike-friendly and -safe routes
- Buy Fresh/Buy Local programs that reduce reliance on shipped goods
- Policies (e.g., economy-wide carbon tax or cap-and-trade system) to generate revenue for infrastructure investments
Why We Do It
While the country and region have made progress in greening our electricity grid, emissions from the transportation sector continue to grow and now represent 29% of total U.S. and 55% of Cape Cod emissions, respectively — far more than any other sector.