Climate Action Working Group Announced By Evanston Mayor

From the City of Evanston: Mayor Stephen Hagerty has invited community members to participate in a new Climate Action and Resilience Plan Working Group to guide the City's next steps in the fight against climate change.

Community members with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds are encouraged to apply by Friday, September 8 to serve on the working group, which will be tasked with developing a Climate Action and Resilience Plan, updating the City's greenhouse gas emissions inventory, and assessing climate change vulnerabilities and risks in Evanston. Fifteen members will be appointed by the Mayor from the pool of applicants. More information and a link to the application can be found at cityofevanston.org/climate.

"Evanston has made tremendous strides in the fight against climate change over the last decade by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and committing to 100 percent renewable energy, but it's just the beginning," said Mayor Hagerty. "We need to work together as a community to ensure that our city is more resilient to the effects of climate change long-term, while continuing to do our part locally to protect the planet."

In 2006, Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl signed the US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, launching Evanston's first comprehensive effort to address climate change. Since then, the City has completed two climate action plans and reduced greenhouse gas emissions community-wide by nearly 19 percent relative to 2005 levels.

Mayor Hagerty has continued the City's climate action efforts, pledging to uphold Evanston's commitment to the Global Covenant of Mayors made in 2016, which calls for cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, become more resilient to climate change, and regularly report their progress publicly. In June, Mayor Hagerty joined more than 300 Climate Mayors from around the country in vowing to uphold the spirit of the Paris Climate Accord, which calls for a 26 to 28 percent reduction in GHG emissions relative to 2005 levels by 2025.

Community members interested in being involved in Evanston's climate action efforts but unable to participate in the working group can receive updates and learn about opportunities to provide feedback by subscribing to the City's sustainability newsletter here.

For more information, please call or text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

Image via Steve Hagerty