Zero Emissions Vehicle Roadmap (2020)
Boston
USA
Emissions Reduction
21%
As of: 2019 with baseline year of 2005
Emissions per Gross City Product (GCP)
39%
From 76 to 46 metric tons of carbon per million dollars — As of: 2019 with baseline year of 2005
Emissions Reduction Target
60% By 2030
*Target for municipal emissions. Additional goal to reduce community-wide carbon emissions by 50%
EV Charging Access
5 mins
By 2030
Every Boston resident will be within a 5 minute walk of a publicly accessible EV charging station
Emissions by Source
Commercial, Industrial/Large Residential 52%
Transportation 29%
Small Residential 19%
Fugitive 1%
Wastewater Treament 1%
As of: 2017
Electricity Mix
As of: 2020 data reported to CDP
Boston has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Buildings and transportation make up nearly 99 percent of Boston’s carbon emissions. In 2023, the Mayor signed an Executive Order banning fossil fuels in new city-owned buildings. This executive order complements our Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO), which sets emissions standards for large existing buildings, requiring all covered buildings, including municipal buildings, to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
We’re also focusing efforts in transportation by implementing our Go Boston 2030 plan and supporting the adoption of zero-emission vehicles. We have already procured 20 electric school buses for Boston Public Schools, and will begin installing public curbside EV charging stations Spring 2024. While supporting the shift to electric vehicles, we also focus our efforts on modeshift, including: the expansion of Bluebikes, our public transportation by bike with more than 4,000 bikes and 400 stations, as well as making improvements to local and regional transportation systems to promote the use of public transit.
The 2019 Climate Action Plan Update is Boston’s roadmap to reach citywide carbon neutrality goals. The plan includes action steps to achieve zero net energy and zero net carbon buildings through deep energy retrofits and electrification, emphasizing equity and stakeholder engagement.