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Creating a comprehensive climate action plan for Greater Chicago

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) has partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), and stakeholders across the greater Chicago region to create a comprehensive climate action plan. The planning area includes 13 counties stretching from Wisconsin to Indiana.

The Comprehensive Climate Action Plan is:

• An outline of necessary steps to meet net-zero emissions by 2050
• A tool to promote action by public, private, and non-profit sectors
• A document to inform future long-range planning by CMAP and NIRPC

About the plan

The Comprehensive Climate Action Plan will identify key actions needed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all major sources and align the greater Chicago region with the national goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Net-zero means cutting GHGs from human activities to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining GHGs balanced out by natural carbon sinks or removed by other means. For a densely populated region like Greater Chicago, this will mean reducing GHGs by 80 percent by 2050.

The plan builds on previous climate action plans from across the planning area — including the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus’ Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region — to create a coordinated strategy that equitably reduces emissions and prioritizes communities experiencing the greatest climate burdens.

How we get there

In 2005, the greater Chicago region produced 189 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Our 2020 inventory shows that emissions have already dropped 20 percent to 152 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Between now and 2050, we will need to reduce emissions by a total of 80 percent (or 151 million metric tons of carbon dioxide) to contribute to the national net-zero goal.

Buildings, industry, and transportation are the primary contributors of emissions, with just three percent coming from agriculture, water, wastewater, and waste collectively. This breakdown generally tracks with data from the country as a whole, except when it comes to industry emissions. Our region’s legacy as an industrial hub — Indiana remains the leading steel producer in the nation — means that our share of industrial emissions is almost 10 percent greater than that of the United States.

Carbon sequestration — the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — from trees, forests, and wetlands currently offsets about two percent of the region’s emissions. This leaves a sizable emissions gap to close by 2050.

Achieving net-zero emissions will require collaborative action across sectors. The Comprehensive Climate Action Plan will identify solutions to address all the significant sources and sinks of greenhouse gas emissions in the region.

No single policy change or technology innovation can ensure we meet the regional goal of net-zero emissions. Likewise, no single local, regional, or state government or agency has jurisdiction over the entire planning area. Public, private, and non-profit organizations will all have to work together to implement the plan for decades to come.

Centering equity in the process and outcomes

Strategies outlined in the plan will have additional benefits like cleaner air, lower energy costs, and new jobs. Because the impacts of climate change and pollution are not spread equally across the region, community and stakeholder engagement will focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities. These communities face unique challenges in adopting clean energy solutions and accessing green transition benefits. The plan will also consider ways to minimize negative impacts of potential strategies, like increased cost of living, displacement, and inequitable workforce opportunities.

The planning process is guided by a steering committee and three sector working groups —buildings, industry, and transportation — with representatives across the planning area. An equity working group supports the community engagement strategy and includes members that also have seats on sector-specific working groups and the steering committee, ensuring equity considerations are not separate from broader plan conversations.

Community engagement efforts will include in-person and online workshops, a digital questionnaire, and other engagements with residents, businesses, and community-based organizations in impacted communities.

What’s next

In January, the team will solicit feedback from residents, businesses, and other stakeholders. In the coming months, CMAP will post articles about sector-specific issues and potential solutions. Sign up for CMAP’s climate newsletter to be learn about these articles.Achieving net-zero emissions will require bold and decisive actions across sectors