Kansas City took a major step to reach carbon neutrality Thursday with the passage of the Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan. The plan was formed over two years by a city-appointed steering committee with public input and will serve as a roadmap for the city’s future climate policies. At the center of the wide-ranging plan is equity and a recognition that climate change disproportionately affects the lives of the city’s poorest communities. The plan targets six different areas — mobility, waste and materials, energy supply, natural systems, homes and buildings, and food — in an effort to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. The short-term actions defined in the plan include decommissioning Evergy’s Hawthorn coal power plant in Northeast Kansas City, expanding the network of trees and natural areas, increasing transit and biking networks, and transitioning to renewable energy. The plan still recommends weaning the city off of fossil fuels, which includes natural gas. Under Missouri law, no city can ban certain types of energy.
By Savannah Hawley. KCUR. August 25, 2022.
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