Presentations and reports presented at the 2007 Challenge of Global Warming and Peak Oil for Local Government conference, sponsored by the Municipal Association of Victoria (Australia), illuminate many aspects of the issue for local governments.

Planning for likely high oil prices and reduced supply of oil is essential to avoid the worst consequences and ensure public services can be provided in a timely and economic manner. Maribyrnong Council's Peak Oil Policy and Action Plan describes how they will continue to deliver community programs and services in spite of global oil price increases.

Video (1 Nov 2007) presentation of John Kaufmann, former lead staffer for the groundbreaking Portland (Ore.) Peak Oil Task Force, to the Connecticut Legislative Peak Oil and Natural Gas Caucus. Kaufmann is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Oregon Department of Energy.

In early 2008, the NACo Green Government Initiative launched this searchable database of county green programs, policies, plans, staff descriptions and more. Meant to be a comprehensive resource on all things green for counties, NACo continually seeks submissions in any of the below green categories from counties throughout the country.

This report, prepared for the Portland Peak Oil Task Force in 2006, is a good introduction to the issue report, and also takes into consideration many aspects of the city's vitality and resiliency. The categories of potential areas of impact were influential in shaping the task force's inquiries and eventual recommendations.

Rob Hopkins is the founder of the Transition movement in the UK, "transition" being the term for a process of creating more resilient and self-reliant communities. The handbook is a good guide and motivator to making changes at the local level and includes a compelling argument that peak oil and climate change must be addressed together.

The Brisbane (Australia) City Council's Climate Change and Energy Taskforce report, released on 12 March 2007, included 31 recommendations across eight strategy areas having to do with how this large, coastal, sub-tropical city can face the challenges of climate change and peak oil.

This study by Warren Karlenzig, author of How Green Is Your City?: The SustainLane City Rankings, ranks the largest 50 US cities by their readiness for $4+ a gallon gas and $100+ barrel oil prices. It considers a variety of factors, including city resident public transit use, city carpooling rates, metro public transit ridership, metro area sprawl, telecommuting, biking and walking-to-work rates, and use of heating oil.

A report by Edward J. Blakely for the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Urban Planning for Climate Change provides advice on planning for cities' uncertain futures as they are shaped by global climate change. His first-hand experience as the Executive Director of Recovery Management provides illuminating examples of the kinds of issues that today's cities face.

The report prepared by the Oakland, Calif. Peak Oil Task Force, to be presented to the Oakland City Council Public Works Committee on 26 Feb 2008. The report is, as titled, an action plan that advises a course of action to transform the City of Oakland into a much less oil-dependent city.

The Building Codes Assistance Project is a joint initiative of the Alliance to Save Energy, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, and the Natural Resources Defense Council that provides information about and advocacy for energy codes. Their online resources explain how codes work and track what kinds of codes are in effect where.

Japan is known for innovation, and the contents of the Japan for Sustainability newsletter don't disappoint. There's a lot going on in the field of sustainability in Japan; both social and technical advances are documented here. Read for inspiration, edification, and a global perspective.

"An ever-expanding footprint of our urban areas is not sustainable," says John Gormley, Ireland's Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. That department has just released a new set of planning guidelines for sustainable residential development in urban areas.

Better known as the Hirsch Report, this report was developed for the United States Department of Energy in 2005. It examined the likelihood of Peak Oil, its potential effects, and recommended a set of mitigating actions, stressing that while the problem is unlike other energy crises, it is not insoluble, given timely preparation. The recommended time frame to start preparation was 20 years before peak; a 10 year rush transition with moderate impacts is possible with extraordinary efforts from governments, industry, and consumers.

Where are the power plants, refineries, importation sites for energy in your state? How does energy use compare to the national average? What kinds of fuels are most used? The EIA's State Energy Profiles and related reports offer a wealth of information about energy in the United States: how and where it's made, where it's used, and what it costs.

A paper released by the California Chapter of the American Planning Association that recommends basic and important policy principles to guide planning-related actions needed to effectively respond to greenhouse gas emission and climate change challenges. The principles are organized by level of government: State, regional, and local.

The Minnesota House of Representatives, led by Rep. Bill Hilty, are preparing a resolution urging the Governor to "prepare a plan of response and preparation to meet the challenges of Peak Oil." This resolution will receive a hearing on February 4th, 2008 (at a session that will include a presentation by energy investment banker and leading peak oil author Matt Simmons).

This beautiful book is an excellent reference for coming to grips with that slippery but important issue, density. Density can have both positive and negative connotations -- and effects -- depending on its context and execution. The photos in Visualizing Density illustrate this wonderfully, and can help us get a better mental grasp on the variety of ways people can live at a variety of different density levels.

The Southern California Association of Governments has released their Draft Regional Comprehensive Plan (RCP) for public review and comment. The Draft RCP includes a chapter on energy uncertainty and peak oil, which sets forth an ambitious performance outcome to decrease the region's consumption of fossil fuels 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020.The RCP also includes guidance for local governments to address peak oil and become more sustainable. A series of public workshops will be announced soon and approval will be requested in June 2008.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough's Resolution 2007-069, adopted in January of 2008, is the first climate change resolution we have heard of that includes adaptation and impact mitigation planning as well as emissions reduction. The assembly requests the mayor to develop a Climate Change Impact Plan that assesses the borough's vulnerabilities and opportunities.