News Updates

CMAP and partners move forward on climate action planning in northeastern Illinois

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) has partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, and stakeholders across the region through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program. Together, we are leading climate action planning not just for CMAP’s seven-county region, but for the entire Chicago metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The Chicago MSA covers nine counties in northeastern Illinois, four counties in Indiana, and one county in Wisconsin.

What’s next: creating a comprehensive climate action plan

CMAP is building on the Priority Climate Action Plan and other local and regional climate initiatives by creating the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan for the Chicago MSA. The plan will identify a pathway for eliminating emissions in every sector — including transportation, buildings, industry, waste, water, wastewater, and agriculture — by 2050.

CMAP will develop the plan over a roughly 15-month period. The project begins in May 2024 with engagement and development of decarbonization briefs that outline key challenges and opportunities in each emission sector as well as carbon sinks.

Plan strategy development will seek to maximize benefits to residents, businesses, and communities across the MSA with a particular focus on communities that are disinvested and overburdened by pollution, and therefore may be impacted most.

The plan will be informed by a steering committee, topical working groups, and targeted activities to engage impacted communities. This approach intends to ensure broad representation across sectors and throughout the region, which will be instrumental for setting priorities and refining strategies.

Sign up for CMAP’s climate newsletter to stay up to date on the comprehensive climate action plan’s progress.

Have questions or want to get involved? Email Nora Beck at nbeck@cmap.illinois.gov.