Sustainability Plan
On August 6, 2024, the Common Council voted unanimously to adopt the 2024 Sustainability Plan. This plan is a roadmap to cut climate pollution, prepare for and minimize the impacts of climate change, improve environmental quality, and ensure the health and well-being of all Madisonians. This update is a continuation of City of Madison’s dedication and ongoing efforts to improve climate equity and environmental justice. It is the result of over three years of work led by the Sustainable Madison Committee and the City’s Sustainability and Resilience Program, and it reflects input from City staff, local experts and partners, and the Madison community.
Full Document: Sustainability Plan
Executive Summary: English, Español, Hmoob, 中文
Goals & Actions: 24"x36" Matrix
What's in the Plan?
The Sustainability Plan includes 24 goals organized into eight elements of a sustainable city: Quality, Affordable Housing; Resilient City Design & Infrastructure; Renewable Energy and Decarbonization; Sustainable Transportation; Clean, Abundant Water; Zero Waste; Healthy Ecosystems; and a Vibrant, Green Economy. Each goal is accompanied by a set of actions and metrics to help track progress. The plan also highlights many of the City’s current initiatives related to sustainability and climate action.
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All of our community members should have access to a safe, secure, and affordable place to live. As Madison grows, we need to build new residential buildings, convert existing buildings into residential spaces, and improve the quality of our existing housing.
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Climate-friendly development patterns and infrastructure like roads, stormwater systems and buildings support the wellbeing of people and nature by protecting against climate hazards like flooding, heat waves, and poor air quality.
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Moving away from fossil fuels (also called decarbonization) and saving energy are very important strategies for reducing climate pollution. Using clean, renewable energy like solar, geothermal, and wind energy to power buildings and vehicles is good for our climate, our health, and our economy.
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Transportation is essential to our daily lives, and how we choose to travel from point A to point B has a big impact on carbon emissions and our environment. The City of Madison is working to eliminate carbon pollution from our transportation system and make it easy for everyone to get around town without a car.
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Across our many departments, the City of Madison works to be a good steward of water resources, to protect and improve water quality, support water conservation, and create welcoming public spaces along the waterfront.
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Many products and materials are only used once before they end up in a landfill. A circular economy aims to change this system by keeping materials and products in use, and services in use as long as possible.
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Madison’s parks, open space, and other urban green areas are important parts of our community’s fabric. Our urban ecosystems help clean our air and water, regulate air temperature, store carbon, reduce noise, and prevent flooding.
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A vibrant local economy means good jobs, thriving businesses, and resilient community assets for all Madisonians. Advancing sustainability and climate action presents tremendous opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and prosperity.
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A full list of goals and actions from the eight sections of the Sustainability Plan.
Annual Implementation Update
We are pleased to share the first annual Sustainability Plan Implementation Update highlighting successes and achievements from across the City that advance the goals in the plan since it was adopted.
In addition to annual progress updates like this one, the Sustainability and Resilience Program will also release an in-depth, quantitative progress report in 2030 that includes the metrics assigned to each of the plan's goals.