Broadview among 14 Suburbs Pledging 45% Greenhouse Gas Cuts by 2030

(Broadview, IL) – The Village of Broadview was among 14 west suburban Cook County communities to sign an agreement last week with the Cross Community Climate Collaborative (C4) pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030 from 2010 levels and 100% reductions by 2050 within their towns.

“Governments – big and small – must act aggressively to blunt climate change to avoid climate calamity in our communities,” said Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson, one of the signatories to the memorandum-of-understanding. “West suburban Cook County mayors have witnessed, first-hand, the increasing frequency and damaging force of climate change-driven storms that now routinely batter our communities, and we have committed ourselves to greenhouse gas emission cuts to help protect our residents, our businesses, and our way of life.”

Thompson, 13 other mayors of the West Suburban Mayors Conference, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park), Senate Majority Leader Kim Lightford (D-Maywood), and Cook County Commissioners Brandon Johnson and Frank Aguilar attended the June 23 agreement-signing event at Triton College in River Grove.

The mayors will work with consultants from Urban Efficiency Group and Seven Generations Ahead to develop the customizable and scalable roadmaps for each community that deliver on the local sustainability goals, among other activities.

Climate change “does not discriminate.”

“Climate change does not discriminate,” said Thompson. “The looming climate calamity is a threat to minority and non-minority communities across economic lines alike, but with bold, collective, and science-informed leadership we can convert the climate change challenge into an opportunity to transform economically our communities through technological and public policy investments that support sustainability and equity.”

The collaborative is looking to drive “large-scale projects” in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, jobs and workforce development, air quality improvement and other sustainability areas, according to Thompson.

“Equity” is a top priority.

Achieving equity in greenhouse gas emissions reductions across communities, includes workforce and small business development, reduced energy burden, and support with adapting to the effects of the climate crisis that minority communities are disproportionally facing, Thompson says.

“Equity is an essential component of our greenhouse gas emissions reductions strategy,” said Thompson. “Without equitable workforce and small business development, reduced energy burden, and green energy adaptation assistance, minority communities will reap fewer benefits and face greater climate change risks.”

Oak Park and River Forest mayors praised.

“Oak Park Mayor Vicki Scaman and River Forest Mayor Cathy Adduci in particular were a driving force behind our regional climate change initiative,” said Thompson. “Our collaboration helped move the initiative from a concept to a working agreement.”

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