The 2021 Climate Action Plan is now available. The plan was approved at the October 12, 2021 City Council Policy Session.
El Plan de Acción Climática 2021 ya está disponible. El plan fue aprobado durante la reunión del Concejo Municipal del 12 de octubre de 2021.
Read the full plan / Lea el plan completo
Read the Executive Summary / Lea el resumen ejecutivo
Thank you to all city departments, organizations, and residents that provided input in the plan. The plan wouldn’t have been possible without strong community support. The 2020 Greenhouse Gas Inventory is in progress and will be published in Spring 2022. Additional outreach for future updates will be starting in 2022. To view previous workshop recordings please click here.
Gracias a todos los departamentos, organizaciones y residentes de la ciudad que proporcionaron sus comentarios sobre el plan. El plan no hubiera sido posible sin el gran apoyo de la comunidad. El inventario de gases de efecto invernadero de 2020 está en curso y se publicará en la primavera de 2022. En 2022 se iniciará una promoción adicional para actualizaciones futuras.
Learn more about the Climate Action Plan
Subscribe to the Climate Updates mailing list here
Create a vibrant healthy food system by 2050 with zero food deserts
The 2009 Climate Action Plan defined how the city would achieve a goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from city operations to 5 percent below the 2005 levels by 2015. In 2012, three years ahead of schedule, the city achieved its goal with a 7.2 percent decrease from 2005 GHG emissions. These findings were revealed in the 2012 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Report. In January 2014, City Council adopted a new goal to reduce GHG by 15 percent by 2015 compared to 2005 emission levels for City operations.
The most significant GHG reduction programs include:
In January 2020 the City of Phoenix became the newest member of C40 Cities. C40 Cities is a network of 94 cities worldwide committed to exhibiting leadership in tackling climate change to increase the environmental and economic wellbeing of its residents. Learn more about C40 Cities
Phoenix has been awarded three badges from the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) for committing to GCoM and taking steps to accomplish our Mitigation and Adaptation goals. Cities committing to GCoM agree to advance climate action in three key areas: Mitigation-reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Adaptation-identifying – and adapting to – the risks associated with climate change, and Access to Energy-increasing access to clean and affordable energy.
Learn more about GMoC, view Phoenix's profile, and track progress here
Phoenix released its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dashboard. ESG refers to three measurement areas representing both opportunities and potential risks to a community's sustainability and financial wellbeing.
Investors and other financial-types are looking for this type of information as part of their analysis in identifying risks associated with ESG. This reporting also assists investors in determining resiliently effects of climate change.
Environmental factors include, carbon emissions, water management, waste and energy. Social factors can include community relations and statistics such as education rates. Governance can include information on debt management, audits, and budgets.
View the dashboard
In 2016 Phoenix City Council adopted 2050 Environmental Sustainability goals that articulate the community's desired long term environmental outcomes that would fulfill the General Plan aspirations of a Sustainable Desert City.
Transportation: Make walking, cycling, and transit commonly used, enjoyed, and accessible for every Phoenix neighborhood, including our disabled community
Waste: Create zero waste through participation in the Circular Economy
Water Stewardship: Maintain a clean and reliable 100-year supply of water
Building & Land Use: Reduce community carbon pollution by 80%-90% with the longer term 2060 goals of becoming a carbon-neutral city
Parks, Preserves, and Open Spaces: All residents live within a five-minute walk of a park or open space
Clean Air: Achieve a level of air quality that is healthy for humans and the natural environment
Local Food Systems: Maintain a sustainable, healthy, equitable, thriving local food system
To measure progress, the City recently completed two reports: the City of Phoenix 2018 Local Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report; and the 2018 Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report.
These Reports are an update to the City's 2015 Local Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report and 2016 Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report, and present the status of the City's progress toward meeting its current greenhouse gas reduction targets of 40 percent by 2025 (City operations) and 30 percent by 2025 (community-wide).
Learn more and view the reports
The Global Cool Cities Alliance launched the Cool Roadways Partnership (CRP) to advance the use of cool roadway solutions that manage the impacts of rising urban temperatures. The CRP participants include jurisdictions, organizations, and manufacturers that are collaborating to help achieve scaled deployment of cool roadway and pavement options as a key strategy to build heat resilient communities. The participating jurisdictions anticipate investing a total of $4.75 billion to add, maintain, or replace 70,000 lane-miles over the next 10 years. The Request for Information is available here and responses are being accepted through March 19, 2021.
Participants (as of December 2020)
On Aug. 25, 2015, Phoenix voters approved Transportation 2050 and made a strong statement about the importance of expanding investment in Phoenix for bus service, light rail construction, and street improvements.
The previous transit plan, known as T2000, was a voter-approved tax that primarily funded transit service in Phoenix. Now broader and more comprehensive, the Transportation 2050 plan places additional emphasis on street needs including; street maintenance, new pavement, bike lanes, sidewalks and ADA accessibility which will all compliment the increase in transit services.
The Transportation 2050 plan was developed by a citizen-led committee of transportation experts and community advocates and addresses a wide array of concerns expressed by residents who drive, bike, walk and ride transit service. The 35-year citywide street and transit improvement plan, which became effective Jan. 1, 2016, will triple the number of light rail miles in Phoenix by adding 42 miles of across the city, provide late-night bus and Dial-a-Ride service citywide, and will directly and indirectly benefit every street in Phoenix.
Learn more and view progress updates
During the summer, staying hydrated and cool is vital! The Heat Relief Network offers free water and indoor locations to cool off. View Heat Relief Network locations.
When the forecast hits the triple-digit, City of Phoenix Rangers advise not hiking during these weather conditions and ask that hikers always follow these life-saving Take a Hike. Do it Right website safety guidelines.
Learn more about Heat Safety
The Tree and Shade Master Plan is the product of the Tree and Shade Task Force, a multi-department committee led by the Parks and Recreation Department. The task force met for a year and a half to evaluate the causes of Phoenix's declining urban forest. The task force also looked at regulatory hurdles that prevent the construction of shade structures over public sidewalks. The Master Plan was adopted by the City Council on January 5, 2010.
The Tree and Shade Master Plan strives to create a healthier, more livable and prosperous Phoenix through the strategic investment in care and maintenance of the urban forest and engineered shade. Trees and shade structures are critical components of the infrastructure and over the long-term can save the city millions of dollars. The Master Plan provides a detailed roadmap to achieve an average 25% shade canopy coverage for the entire city.
Learn more about Trees in Phoenix
The City of Phoenix has been delivering clean, reliable water supplies to homes, businesses, industries, and other area customers for more than 100 years. Our successes have come from engaging our customers in planning for our water supply needs and promoting the responsible use of water.
In an era of climate change, one advantage Phoenix has over others is this: desert cities know that drought is a constant threat, and plan accordingly. Long-range planning, investments in water supply alternatives, and a history of successes in water conservation have allowed Phoenix to weather every drought without resorting to mandatory water use restrictions or prohibitions. Phoenix is built for drought. However, the city is prepared to establish such restrictions in future years if absolutely necessary to ensure the safety and health of our residents. Read the 2015 Drought Management Plan here.
Learn more about Water Conservation
