Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has named Elizabeth Babcock to lead the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency (CASR). Babcock essentially shifts from deputy director to executive director for the Office of CASR.
Here are three things to know about Babcock's expertise and Denver's sustainability strategy.
1. City Scope and Scale: Denver, the capital of Colorado, had roughly 711,000 residents as of 2011. The city offers various climate action, sustainability and resiliency programs. Key efforts include funding for women and minority-owned small businesses focused on sustainability projects. Denver also participates in Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing for projects that involve energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation improvements.
The original Denver 80x50 Climate Action Plan, released in 2015, seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 compared to a 2005 baseline.
2. Elizabeth Babcock's Experience: Babcock has more than 20 years of experience managing collaborative, equitable and transformational projects, the Mayor's office said. For more than a decade, she has led the City and County of Denver in the development of Denver’s climate office, and she created nationally recognized programs under Denver’s Climate Protection Fund, the Mayor's office added.
3. Grants and Funding Activities: Babcock has managed several multimillion-dollar grants, including the Denver Energy Challenge, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. She also led Denver’s engagement in the American Cities Climate Challenge, instilling climate action across city government, the Mayor's office said.
Denver Sustainability Strategy: Why Technology Partners Should Care
By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.
The bottom line: Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.
