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City of Bloomington Celebrates 5 Years of Climate Action Plan Implementation Progress and Releases 2024 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report

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~ Bloomington, IN - The City of Bloomington is celebrating a significant milestone as it marks five years of progress in implementing the Climate Action Plan. Adopted by the Bloomington Common Council in 2021, the plan aims to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 2018 levels by 2030. To commemorate this achievement, the City has released its 2024 Community-Wide and Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report.

The report shows that Bloomington is on track to meet its emissions reduction goal, with a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions since the adoption of the plan. This progress can be attributed to the City's investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transportation, green infrastructure, and climate resilience.

Mayor Kerry Thomson expressed her pride in the City's commitment to addressing climate change. "Five years ago, Bloomington made a promise to take meaningful action towards combating climate change," she said. "Today, we are seeing the results of that commitment through various projects that not only lower energy costs but also strengthen our infrastructure and improve public health. While there is still work to be done, we are proud of what we have achieved together."

Climate change has already had an impact on Bloomington through extreme heat waves, heavy rainfall, flooding, and severe weather events. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in resilient infrastructure, the City is not only protecting its residents and businesses but also creating long-term economic and environmental benefits.

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Shawn Miya, Assistant Director of Sustainability for Bloomington, emphasized that climate action goes beyond just reducing emissions. "It's about making our community healthier, more affordable, and more resilient," he said. "The greenhouse gas inventory provides us with crucial data to measure our progress and identify areas where future investments can have the greatest impact. While we are on track to meet our 2030 goal, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 will require continued innovation, collaboration, and investment."

This is the second consecutive year that Bloomington has completed both community-wide and municipal operations greenhouse gas inventories in partnership with ClimateNav. The report estimates that in 2024, Bloomington generated approximately 1.27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO₂e). Stationary energy, including electricity and natural gas used in buildings, accounted for the majority of community-wide emissions at 67.4 percent, followed by transportation at 25.1 percent and solid waste and wastewater at 7.5 percent.

The report also highlights some positive trends, such as a decline in emissions from grid-supplied electricity as Indiana's electric grid incorporates more renewable energy. Completing annual greenhouse gas inventories provides reliable data to evaluate climate policies, prioritize future investments, strengthen competitiveness for state and federal grant funding, and measure progress towards Climate Action Plan goals.

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However, the report also identifies areas where more progress is needed. Transportation remains the City's second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, while stationary fuel combustion and solid waste continue to present significant challenges for decarbonization. Although there has been a substantial decline in electricity-related emissions, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 will require accelerated reductions across all sectors.

The City's progress is a result of collaboration among various municipal departments, local organizations, businesses, neighborhood associations, and residents. Many climate initiatives have also leveraged over $1 million in state and federal grant and rebate funding to accelerate implementation while reducing costs for local taxpayers. Later this year, the City will publish a summary report highlighting projects and accomplishments since the adoption of the Climate Action Plan in 2021.

The City encourages everyone to read the full report, explore the Climate Action Dashboard, and learn about incentive programs that can help reduce their carbon footprint. For more information about Bloomington's Climate Action Plan and sustainability initiatives, visit the City's Sustainable Bloomington webpage or contact the Department of Economic and Sustainable Development.

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