With an eye on the City’s future, and the future of generations of Kansas City residents, the city council on Thursday adopted the Kansas City Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan. This equity-centered plan has a primary goal to achieve climate neutrality by reducing greenhouse gas emissions for city operations by 2030 and citywide by 2040.

City leaders, city staff, professional consultants and a climate protection steering committee made up of neighborhood, community and regional leaders developed the 133-page plan with all Kansas Citians in mind.

“It has been an honor to work with community on drafting and passing this robust climate action plan for Kansas City,” said Andy Savastino, chief environmental office in the City’s Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ).  “It’s going to take further collaboration with residents and stakeholders to design the equitable programs and policies necessary to reach our climate goals.”

“Climate action cannot wait, and I am proud, after years of work, Kansas City today took bold action to protect our children’s and our grandchildren’s futures,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas. “This plan is more than just a list of tactics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — it will serve as a bedrock of community-based climate action prioritizing and elevating our historically marginalized communities, centering equity every step of the way. Thank you to the hundreds of community members who have contributed to this planning process.”

“I am so proud to have been part of developing this ambitious climate plan as Chair of the Climate Protection Steering Committee,” said Robin Ganahl. “This is for my kids and all the young people who are concerned about their futures. Goals like equitable building decarbonization are key to bringing emissions down at the speed and scale we need while centering communities of concern. We are definitely still in the Paris Agreement here in Kansas City. 

Using the 2021 KC Regional Climate Action Plan as a building block, the Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan uses climate data to better understand greenhouse gas emission reduction potential and climate resiliency throughout Kansas City. To learn more about the city’s carbon footprint, what that means and about the city’s effort to achieve climate neutrality, go to the city’s Climate Action webpage. 

Editor’s note: This article was shared by Kansas City, Mo., communications on August 25, 2022.