Minneapolis Sustainability

350 S. 5th Street, Room 315M
Minneapolis, MN 55415
sustainability@minneapolismn.gov



How you can be involved

Schedule a Climate Action Plan presentation to your group.  Want to learn more about the planning process and what it means for residents? We are happy to come speak to your group and can tailor a presentation to fit your meeting agenda. Email us to request a presentation.

Send us your thoughts.  Email us with your thoughts on the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the city.  All responses will be shared with the appropriate working group.

Take our Climate Action Plan survey. Results from this survey will be presented to Climate Action Plan working groups.

Attend and advisory group or open house meeting.  All Climate Action Plan meetings are open to the public.  Meeting dates and materials are posted here.

Minneapolis Climate Action Plan

Starting in 2012, Sustainability staff will be updating the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan.  The Plan will provide a roadmap to guide Minneapolis towards our emissions reduction targets.  Staff will be working with multiple advisory groups made up of technical experts and community representatives to develop the plan, and will be actively reaching out to key stakeholders like neighborhood groups, buildings owners and managers, transportation experts and others.

Action Is Needed

The consensus is clear: the global climate is changing and human activities are major contributors to that change.  Without strong and early action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, our city, state and nation will face severe consequences.  In the Upper Midwest, we face increased heat waves, reduced air quality and increasing insect and waterborne diseases.  Changes in precipitation mean we will also face increased periods of flooding and drought.  Other areas of the country are facing rapid sea-level rise, severe drought, increased wildfire risk and heat waves. 

Policy Background

The Minneapolis City Council has adopted targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction: reduce citywide emissions 15 percent by 2015 and 30 percent by 2025 using 2006 as a baseline.  The City has also adopted Goals and Strategic Directions, which include a goal to make Minneapolis an internationally recognized leader for a healthy environment and a sustainable future.  In 2007, Mayor R.T. Rybak signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which calls for curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

In 1993, in conjunction with the City of Saint Paul, Minneapolis became one of the first cities in the nation to adopt a greenhouse gas reduction plan - the Minneapolis - Saint Paul Urban CO2 Project Plan.  The City also updated the community greenhouse gas inventory in 2012. 

What You Can Do Today:

 

Last updated May. 11, 2012