Communities within the Greenest Region Compact, the largest sustainability collective of communities in the United States, have begun the process for Regional Climate Planning. The Climate Action Plan will be led by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.

In October, communities and organizations in the Chicago area kicked off a year-long process to create a Regional Climate Action Plan to reduce the impacts of climate change and build thriving, resilient communities.

The plan will join the GRC communities with 9,200 global cities and 131 countries working to build sustainable and livable cities.

This process is supported by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

Only four areas in the United States were selected to be guided by the Global Covenant: Chicago Metropolitan area, Denver/Boulder region, Washington D.C., and Kansas City region. The large collective of communities already gathered for a common goal — the Greenest Region Compact — and greenhouse gas data already collected by CMAP played a part in Chicagoland being chosen.

The program was facilitated by Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, chair of the MMC Environmental Committee.

Kane County is part of this process having adopted the Greenest Region Compact in March of 2019.

The process normally begins by creating a greenhouse gas inventory. Thanks to CMAP, this already exists for the Chicagoland region. Check out Kane County’s emissions inventory here.

Next, a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment will be conducted to ultimately formulate the Climate Action Plan and Reporting framework.

While climate change is an overwhelming, existential threat, municipalities of all sizes and strengths can make decisions and take actions that reduce risks, slow climate change, and protect our communities.

The Chicago Regional Climate Plan will connect these local actions to critical global targets for GHG reduction to amplify our collective impact on climate change.

At the end of the kick-off event after discussion with all of these entities, Burns summarized

“What we heard is… Don’t panic. Plan.”