What is a Climate Action Plan:

The Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a framework and action plan that outlines the guiding principles and resulting action plan needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ames. A climate action plan (CAP) is a tool that helps communities understand their influence on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), and then plan to reduce GHGs in a way that supports community well- being and economic growth.

Developing a CAP enables communities to align their land-use and infrastructure planning processes with their GHG reduction targets, and identify opportunities to integrate local renewable energy solutions. A CAP is important because investments today will determine climate and development outcomes long into the future.

Developing a Climate Action Plan was specifically established as an Ames City Council goal in 2020, it addresses the Council value of environmental sustainability. After completing the Greenhouse Gas Inventory, work has continued to develop a customized Ames Climate Action Plan (CAP).

 Click here for the Climate Action Plan website

Ames CAP Initial Steps

To assist in developing a Climate Action Plan for Ames, the Ames City Council has Sustainable Solutions Group (SSG) to guide the community through a CAP process that includes

1. Identify the community’s carbon reduction goal.
2. Identify practical, realistic, cost-effective strategies to accomplish the carbon reduction goal.

Presentation to CAP Steering Committee (Ames City Council) on Tuesday, Aug. 31. 

Sustainability Reports

In November 2019, the City of Ames contracted with paleBluedot, of Maplewood, Minn., to prepare a Community Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory, Forecasting, and Recommendations Reports. The project kicked off on Dec. 3, 2019, and final reports were completed in August 2020.

Click here to view the City of Ames Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Click here to view the Climate Vulnerability Assessment

Click here to view the Renewable Energy Potentials Study

The City of Ames has actively engaged for decades in conserving resources, reducing energy demand, and promoting diversified waste management and landfill diversion through a variety of initiatives and commitments. There is a growing movement in the Ames community to define a comprehensive plan for the conservation of finite natural resources and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as a means to achieving a greater global good -- a more sustainable future.

In order to achieve a plan that engages and empowers residents, businesses, and institutions toward ownership and responsibility in ensuring a resilient and sustainable future, the City Council intends to offer an extensive citizen input process directed at the various sectors of our community, especially at those groups who do not traditionally participate in our local government process.

CAP Previous Meetings

Climate Action Plan Meeting with Ames City Council (Aug. 31, 2021)

Climate Action Plan Supplemental Input Committee Meeting #1 (Oct. 6, 2021)

Climate Action Plan Town Hall Meeting (Oct. 25, 2021)

Climate Action Plan Meeting with Ames City Council (Nov. 16, 2021)

Climate Action Plan Supplemental Committee Meeting #2 (Dec. 1, 2021)

Climate Action Plan Supplemental Input Committee Meeting #3 (Feb. 23, 2022)

Climate Action Plan Supplemental Input Committee Meeting #4 (March 28, 2022)

Climate Action Plan Meeting with Ames City Council (April 5, 2022)

CAP Supplemental Input Committee 

The CAP Supplemental Input Committee will be one input tool in a series of community engagement tools, which may include an interactive website, social media, town hall meetings, virtual participation, surveys, and/or in-person meetings.

As a supplement to this citywide approach to citizen input, the City Council created a Climate Action Planning Supplemental Input Committee to offer input to the Ames City Council, the designated Steering Committee in the plan development.

Ames CAP Supplemental Input Committee Purpose Statement:

To ensure that the Ames Community Action Plan engages and empowers residents, businesses, and institutions toward ownership and responsibility in ensuring a resilient and sustainable future for Ames, the City Council expects an extensive citizen input process that represents many sectors of our community including the establishment of the CAP Supplemental Input Committee. The City Council is especially interested in hearing from those groups who do not traditionally participate in our local government decision-making process.