In 2016, a local youth organization identified that the City of Grand Marais lacked action against the threats of climate change. In response, the Grand Marais City Council passed the Climate Inheritance Resolution in 2017 and began developing a Climate Action Plan that “significantly reduces Grand Marais’ greenhouse gas emissions to levels that would protect our community’s children and grandchildren from the risk of climate change.” In 2018 a coordinator was hired to develop the plan along with a steering committee of community members, business owners, city officials, and local youth.
A Climate Action Plan, or CAP, is a roadmap that identifies a city’s carbon emission levels and aims to reduce them in a sustainable way. The Grand Marais CAP has four major sections. The first is a Greenhouse Gas Inventory, a study done by Regional Indicators Initiative, an organization that measures performance metrics for Minnesota cities. This study details the sources of Grand Marais’ carbon emissions and describes renewable energy resource potential in the city. The second major section of the plan details the goals Grand Marais has set for reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next two decades. The primary goal of this plan is to be a carbon neutral city by 2040. The third section outlines broad strategies the city will take to achieve its goals. The final section is a point-by-point list of tactics, which outline exactly how the city can cut carbon emissions to levels that fulfill the Climate Inheritance Resolution.
To view the Climate Action Plan click the link below.
