This guide provides an initial introduction to the core concepts with which a natural systems-based carbon management and ecosystem services strategy can be developed. More detailed process guides are being developed to support carbon management opportunity assessment and strategy development. These process guides will be available at the Urban Drawdown Initiatives website under the “Resources” page.

For those wanting more resources across a range of related carbon drawdown topics, please explore this Carbon Drawdown Syllabus, which provides links to a host of useful resources—particularly overviews of actions currently being taken in early leading efforts around the world.

This document reimagines city-based climate action planning within a framework of systems change.

In 2019-2020, 5 USDN member cities—San Francisco (CA), San Luis Obispo (CA), Boulder (CO), Fayetteville (AK), and Cleveland (OH) worked with consultant Calla Rose Ostrander to develop a process guide and spreadsheet-based tool to optimize the capture and utilization of urban organic wastes.

Project Drawdown is a world-class research organization that reviews, analyses, and identifies the most viable global climate solutions, and shares these findings with the world. We partner with communities, policy-makers, non-profits, businesses, investors, and philanthropists to identify and deploy science-based, effective climate solutions—as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.

This U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (US Community Protocol) is designed to inspire and guide U.S. local governments to account for and report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the communities they represent.