City of Bloomington Celebrates 5 Years of Climate Action Plan Implementation Progress and Releases 2024 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report

The City of Bloomington is celebrating five years of progress implementing the Climate Action Plan, adopted by the Bloomington Common Council in 2021. To mark the milestone, the City released its 2024 Community-Wide and Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, which shows Bloomington remains on track to meet its goal of reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent below 2018 levels by 2030. 
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Guided by the Climate Action Plan, Bloomington has invested in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transportation, green infrastructure, and climate resilience to reduce emissions while preparing the community for the impacts of climate change. 

"Five years ago, Bloomington committed to taking meaningful action to address climate change," said Mayor Kerry Thomson. "Today, we're seeing the results of that commitment through projects that lower energy costs, strengthen our infrastructure, improve public health, and make our community more resilient. While there is still important work ahead, we're proud of the progress we've made together."

Climate change is already affecting Bloomington through more frequent extreme heat, heavier rainfall, flooding, and severe weather. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in resilient infrastructure, the City is helping to protect residents, businesses, and community assets while creating long-term economic and environmental benefits.
"Climate action is about more than reducing emissions," said Shawn Miya, Assistant Director of Sustainability. "It's about making Bloomington healthier, more affordable, and more resilient. The greenhouse gas inventory provides the data we need to measure our progress, evaluate what is working, and identify where future investments can have the greatest impact. While we're on track to meet our 2030 goal, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 will require continued innovation, collaboration, and investment."

The 2024 greenhouse gas inventory is the second consecutive year Bloomington has completed both community-wide and municipal operations greenhouse gas inventories in partnership with ClimateNav. The inventory estimates Bloomington generated approximately 1.27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO₂e) in 2024. Stationary energy—including electricity and natural gas used in buildings—accounted for 67.4 percent of community-wide emissions, followed by transportation (25.1 percent) and solid waste and wastewater (7.5 percent).

The report also highlights several positive trends. Bloomington remains on track to meet its 2030 emissions reduction target, while emissions from grid-supplied electricity continue to decline as Indiana's electric grid incorporates more renewable energy. Completing annual greenhouse gas inventories provides reliable year-over-year data that help the City evaluate climate policies, prioritize future investments, strengthen competitiveness for state and federal grant funding, and measure progress toward Climate Action Plan goals.

The report also identifies areas where additional progress is needed. Transportation remains the City's second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, while stationary fuel combustion and solid waste continue to present significant decarbonization challenges. Although electricity-related emissions have declined substantially, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 will require accelerated reductions across all sectors.

The City's progress reflects collaboration among municipal departments, local organizations, businesses, neighborhood associations, and residents. Many climate initiatives have also leveraged more than $1 million in state and federal grant and rebate funding, enabling Bloomington to accelerate implementation while reducing costs to local taxpayers. Later this year, the City will publish a summary report highlighting Climate Action Plan projects and accomplishments since the plan's adoption in 2021.

Everyone is encouraged to read the full report, explore the Climate Action Dashboard, and learn about incentive programs that can help reduce their carbon footprint. For more information about Bloomington's Climate Action Plan and sustainability initiatives, visit the City's Sustainable Bloomington webpage or contact the Department of Economic and Sustainable Development at [email protected].