ESTABLISH OR JOIN A
COMMUNITY OR REGIONAL TASK FORCE

Climate Action KC is a broad stakeholder coalition of elected officials, the KC Chamber, and other local partners that came together to begin working on a comprehensive, local effort to draw down greenhouse gases, improve climate resilience, invigorate the economy, promote public health, and improve the collective quality of life.

With the goal of reaching net zero by 2050, their Kansas City Regional Climate Action Plan aims to transform the metropolitan area into a more resilient, equitable and healthy community. 

See CICE’s coverage of the coalition’s launch to learn more.

Additionally, the KC Chamber launched an Energy, Environment, & Ecosystem Task Force for their professional development program graduates. The task force will examine sustainability in relation to the region’s history and significant geographical footprint: the impact and challenges on today’s Kansas City and the opportunities and momentum for the future. Specific areas of focus include water and sewer infrastructure, airport, over-the-road distribution networks, public transportation, network and communication infrastructure, the Port Authority, and alternative energy.

The Colorado Chamber’s Environmental Sustainability & Climate Action Task Force is a collaborative effort to establish climate and sustainability policies that address responsible production and provide tools businesses need to succeed.

Colorado businesses struggle to find a balance between their investment in a clean environment and the challenge of implementing complex environmental regulations adopted over the last few years. The goal of this task force is to pave the way for collaboration in addressing environmental sustainability with responsible, reasonable policies and regulations that are predictable and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach for businesses. 

Objectives:

• Leveraging Business: It is primarily up to businesses to develop, finance and build the infrastructure to improve our environment. Bringing businesses and government together to collaborate on creative and solutions is key.

• Policy Maker Education: Businesses are using innovative technological solutions to mitigate emissions. Awareness of those efforts among policymakers and regulators is critical for future regulatory actions.

• Supportive Policy Solutions: Promoting flexible, not one-size-fits-all, policies will allow for more innovation and environmental progress.

Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.), the economic development organization representing the 10 parishes of Southeast Louisiana, recognizes the economic opportunities of cultivating the offshore wind supply chain.

The first state to assemble a task force around offshore wind, Louisiana is well-positioned to lead from the industry, with an existing offshore oil and gas supply chain with deep experience designing, manufacturing, developing, and servicing offshore projects.

Additionally, GNO, Inc. partnered with leading global offshore wind company, RWE, to create a database of Louisiana’s offshore wind supply chain.

The Greater Houston Partnership (GHP)’s Houston Energy Transition Initiative played an integral role in creating the city’s Climate Action Plan which provides evidenced-based measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preventive measures to address the negative outcomes of climate change. The Climate Action Plan allows the city to develop strategies that will not only help minimize the region’s carbon footprint but can help save money and improve the quality of life of residents. Co-benefits associated with climate action planning include decreased traffic and congestion, improved air quality, better access to parks and green spaces, and cost savings through energy efficiency projects.

GHP has actively championed the plan since development, aiming to broaden its reach within the community and demonstrate the business community’s backing.

The Queens Chamber of Commerce’s “Queens is Green Initiative” connects member businesses and industry leaders to help businesses become more energy efficient and ensure that Queens is leading the way in the fight against climate change.

“The Queens Chamber of Commerce is proud to convene this group of chamber members and other industry leaders in an effort to help businesses not only save their hard-earned dollars but also make Queens the greenest county in the largest city in America,” Thomas J. Grech, Queens Chamber of Commerce President & CEO

The Colerain Chamber of Commerce teamed up with CICE to launch Team Up to Green Up, an initiative to enhance the local quality life and create a more sustainable community. In just a few short months, they had over 60 businesses join the free program.

Programs include:

• Make a sustainability pledge

• Adopt a block

• Living greener

The Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce is a leading participant in Reno Resilience, the City of Reno’s sustainability and climate program working to develop, adopt, and implement ambitious and measurable actions to reduce climate pollution. Well-focused initiatives on sustainability promise to strengthen Reno’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading cities.

Reno Resilience’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan identifies the following goals:

1. Lead by Example—Sustainable City Operations

2. Transition to Clean, Renewable Energy

3. Green Building as Standard Practice

4. Create Lively, Low-Carbon Neighborhoods

5. Toward Zero Waste

6. Healthy, Equitable Urban Forest

7. Access to Fresh, Local Foods

8. Safeguard Water Resources

9. Strengthen Climate Resilience

The Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia and Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry participate in Energy Future PA, a nonpartisan coalition that supports energy solutions to help meet the nation’s future energy needs and bolster reliability of the power grid, including renewables and low-to-zero carbon fuel sources such as clean hydrogen, nuclear energy, and carbon capture and storage technologies.

“Pennsylvania is uniquely poised to lead the way in a new decarbonized economy, but we need a strategy that focuses on partnerships and innovation. Our growing coalition sends a strong signal to policy leaders in Harrisburg and Washington that common-sense energy policy can and should cross party lines. By working together, with a broad array of voices at the table, Pennsylvania can secure its rightful place as a national and global energy leader.” Former U.S. Congressman Conor Lamb, co-chair of Energy Future PA.

UpLink is the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum surfacing early-stage entrepreneurs and enabling an innovation ecosystem to drive positive systemic change for people and the planet.

Launched in 2023 in collaboration with Citi, Deloitte, Salesforce, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the World Economic Forum, and more than 20 organizations, Yes SF is the first location-based UpLink Challenge created in direct response to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 of making cities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Yes SF seeks not only to revitalize downtown San Francisco, but also to set a precedent for sustainable urban living worldwide. The significance of Yes SF is more than environmental—it is a driving force for economic renewal and social equity. The solutions can help create employment opportunities, help make city living more affordable, and foster community engagement.