Julie Rosenbach
Julie Rosenbach, the sustainability director for South Portland, is a recipient of the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s 2022 Conservation Leadership Award. Rosenbach, along with Portland Sustainability Coordinator Troy Moon, received the award Oct. 26 in Hallowell at the council’s Conservation Leadership Awards Celebration.
“Julie is very deserving of this award, and we’re happy she is being honored for her trailblazing work on climate and sustainability at the municipal level,” said South Portland City Manager Scott Morelli in a press release. “Our community has a bold climate action plan thanks to her efforts, and we’re grateful for her service to South Portland.”
Julie Rosenbach, South Portland’s sustainability coordinator, and Troy Moon, Portland’s sustainability coordinator, on Portland’s waterfront in February. Brianna Soukup photo/Press Herald
Rosenbach and Moon are being awarded for leading sustainability efforts in Portland and South Portland and developing One Climate Future, a comprehensive climate and sustainability plan for both cities. One Climate Future, according to Natural Resources Council of Maine, is “one of the most ambitious local climate plans in the country”.
One Climate Future plans to reduce community-wide emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The plan focuses on four areas to reduce ecological footprint and strengthen the communities’ ability to respond to climate hazards: buildings and energy use, transportation and land use, waste reduction, and climate resiliency. One Climate Future has a detailed and actionable plan in place to make the changes happen. For more information, visit oneclimatefuture.org.
“One Climate Future is one of the country’s most ambitious local climate action plans, but actually putting it into action is another story,” said Cashel Stewart, South Portland’s sustainable transportation coordinator. “Thankfully, we have Julie. Julie has been steadfastly leading South Portland toward all of the goals in the plan, meeting and exceeding many of the milestone timelines.
“Julie is adept at the balancing act that is climate action planning. She works with people across every discipline, finding solutions to our climate crisis that match the ambition of our community, while being realistic about how and when certain change comes about.”
Rosenbach expressed gratitude for everyone involved. “I would just comment that all the work we do we is team effort,” Rosenbach said. “Our One Climate Future plan, our programs are successful because of the visionary leadership of our city council, the great team working in the Sustainability Department, and such positive support from the community for sustainability and climate action.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
