Climate Action KC showcases local climate resilience efforts

In 2019, a coalition of more than 100 elected officials, educators and other authorities joined forces under common cause to create the Climate Action KC steering committee. With guidance from project leader Melissa Cheatham from the Overland Park Environmental Advisory Council, as well as MARC’s Transportation and Environment Department, a framework was created with input from dozens of local government experts and recently organized into the Climate Action Playbook.

The Playbook translates strategies from the national Project Drawdown effort into actions and policies that can be taken by local governments, and is organized according to six sectors:

• Buildings and Cities
• Electricity
• Food
• Land Use
• Materials
• Transportation

Each suggested action within the playbook showcases examples of local governments succeeding in climate initiatives using resources already at their disposal. For example, the “Prioritizing Infill Development” action points to information about the city of Kansas City, Missouri’s Marlborough Neighborhood Catalyst Project, a project that calls for building upon community assets, like a community center saved from demolition in 2008, as well as landlord accountability to ensure existing properties provide quality housing in the neighborhood’s central core.

The Playbook was released in hard copy format to the capacity crowd attending Climate Action KC’s December event, “Resilience in Action” — a forum to both explore these recommended actions as well as provide real-time feedback on high-priority needs using live polling technology. A panel of three guest speakers showcased local success stories where similar ideas were put to work.

Additionally, the Playbook will be updated on an ongoing basis to best fit the needs of municipalities within the coalition.