Columbus adopted its Climate Action Plan in December 2021, committing to carbon neutrality by 2050 with a 45 percent emissions cut by 2030. Strategies cover buildings, transportation, energy, waste, and equitable community engagement citywide.
The Columbus Climate Action Plan, adopted December 2021 by Mayor Andrew Ginther and City Council, lays out the city's first comprehensive emissions-reduction roadmap. The Plan sets a 2030 milestone of 45 percent below 2018 baseline emissions and full carbon neutrality by 2050. Six strategy areas address building energy use, transportation electrification, renewable electricity supply, waste diversion, urban tree canopy expansion, and community resilience. The Department of Public Utilities, Sustainable Columbus, and the Office of the Mayor coordinate implementation through annual progress reports. Companion policies include the Sustainable Procurement Policy, fleet electrification targets, tree-canopy goals, and partnerships with AEP Ohio for community-choice aggregation electricity.
The Plan itself is policy and not directly enforceable. Companion ordinances on energy benchmarking, sustainable procurement, fleet electrification, and tree canopy carry their own administrative penalties through the relevant enforcement department.
Columbus, OH
Columbus's Sustainable Procurement Policy directs city departments to favor environmentally preferable products and services. It supports the Climate Action ...
Columbus, OH
Columbus follows the Ohio Building Code with local energy amendments encouraging high-reflectance roofing on commercial buildings. Cool roofs reduce heat-isl...
See how Columbus's climate emergency mobilization rules stack up against other locations.
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