Here’s how you can help shape the city’s plan to fight climate change
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Climate change in Kansas City
The effects of climate change, including more extreme weather, are being felt across the Kansas City region. Here’s what’s being done and how you can help.
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Kansas City is working on a new plan to address climate change at the city level, and you can be a part of the process.
Kansas City’s Climate Protection Steering Committee will hold a public meeting on Monday, November 15 at 3:30 p.m. Committee members will discuss upcoming efforts to finalize the Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan.
What’s the Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan?
Technically, there is no plan—yet. The city has been working since April to make an action plan for how Kansas City will combat the climate crisis and protect residents from its worst effects. A few main goals are to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2040, and focus on creating an equitable plan that serves all areas of the city, especially areas that may be most impacted by climate change.
Mayor Quinton Lucas appointed the steering committee’s members to oversee the creation of the plan, which will likely be finalized early next year.
What’s going to happen at Monday’s meeting?
“The next few weeks are really crucial,” Committee Chair Robin Ganahl told the Star. “This is our attempt to give people… an opportunity to make their voice heard.”
The meeting will be held virtually, and members of the public are invited to attend using this link.
The steering committee will discuss how the city should prioritize the many sustainability strategies that experts, officials and members of the public have already proposed for the climate plan. Monday’s meeting will also include comments from City Manager Brian David Platt and Bridging the Gap executive director Kristin Riott on strategies they think should be considered.
There will be a five-minute period at the beginning of the meeting for public comments, although Ganahl says this window could be extended slightly. Attendees who don’t wish to speak can submit questions and comments in the meeting’s chat box.
“It’s open to whatever they would like to share,” said Ganahl. “Anything they’d like to say about the climate plan or what they hope to see in it.”
If you can’t attend the meeting, there are other opportunities to get involved
You can get involved in the planning process by joining one or more of the city’s “workgroups” on different environmental topic areas next month.
The topics are:
Energy Supply: Monday, Dec. 13 from 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Natural Systems: Monday, Dec. 13 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Food: Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Homes & Buildings: Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Mobility: Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Waste & Materials: Thursday, Dec. 16 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
You can register to attend any of these groups using this Google Form.
Ganahl said she expects that the city will release a finished draft of its plan to address climate change in late December or early January. After a review period, the City Council will then vote on whether to implement it.
The upcoming steering committee meeting, workgroups and review period will be the only opportunities for public feedback on the plan before this crucial vote.
Do you have questions about the Climate Protection & Resiliency Plan or other sustainability efforts in Kansas City? Ask our Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com or using the form below.
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
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