Saint Paul Adopts Updated Climate Action and Resilience Plan

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Saint Paul City Council voted unanimously on May 27, 2026 to adopt the City’s updated Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), reaffirming Saint Paul’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preparing for climate impacts, and advancing equitable climate solutions across the city. 

Originally adopted in 2019, the Climate Action and Resilience Plan established Saint Paul’s climate goals, including carbon neutrality by 2050. The newly adopted update refreshes the original framework and introduces a new five-year action plan to guide implementation. This update also acknowledges the significant investments made to achieve the city’s climate goals by staff from across the entire enterprise. 

As adopted, this plan was shaped through extensive community engagement, technical analysis, and collaboration with residents, community organizations, businesses, city staff, the Climate Justice Advisory Board and its CARP Update Advisory Committee. 

“This plan reflects Saint Paul’s continued commitment to climate action that is practical, fiscally prudent, community-driven, and grounded in equity,” said Mayor Kaohly Her. “Residents across Saint Paul helped shape this update, and together we are building a healthier, more resilient future for our city. I am grateful to the City Council for their unanimous support and collaboration to achieve our climate goals.” 

The updated CARP focuses on strategies to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and transportation
• Expand clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives  
• Prioritize action in neighborhoods most vulnerable to climate impacts
• Strengthen coordination across City departments and community partners
• Integrate climate resilience into long-term city planning and capital investments
• Support sustainable transportation options including walking, biking, transit, and electric vehicles
• Create a coordinated five-year implementation framework with measurable actions and accountability 

The plan also strengthens the City’s emphasis on climate justice by prioritizing investments and programs that address disparities in health, housing, energy burden, and environmental impacts. 

“This update builds on the strong foundation established in 2019 while incorporating new data, community priorities, and lessons learned over the past five years,” said City Council President Rebecca Noecker. “The five-year action plan will help ensure we move from long-term vision to coordinated implementation.” 

“Climate Change will change the way our City works whether we acknowledge that reality or not. I am proud our City has the foresight to plan proactively for a changing world,” said Councilmember Saura Jost.

Over the past year, the City hosted community conversations, workshops, surveys, and stakeholder meetings to gather input on priorities for the update. The updated plan includes actions across City operations and community-wide systems, recognizing that climate solutions can also improve air quality, public health, affordability, and quality of life for Saint Paul residents. 

The City will continue tracking progress through the Saint Paul Climate Dashboard at https://climateaction.stpaul.gov.

The adopted Climate Action and Resilience Plan and five-year action plan are available at https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/mayors-office/climate-action.