Named an "A List City" in 2021 for Environmental Disclosure, Indy Sets a Science-Based Target for Carbon Neutrality

INDIANAPOLIS— The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability today announced that environmental reporting efforts this year will include the submission of a "science-based target" as an interim checkpoint for achieving citywide carbon neutrality by the year 2050. This comes as Indianapolis was named by climate not-for-profit CDP last November as one of 95 "A List" cities worldwide, leading the globe in environmental transparency and action for year 2021. Indianapolis has disclosed environmental impact data through CDP since 2015; this is the fourth time it has received an A rating.

A CDP webpage dedicated to highlighting Indianapolis and the 94 other A List cities is available here.

Many municipalities and corporations are now adopting a model of science-based targets as guideposts for achieving their environmental goals. In 2017, Mayor Joe Hogsett signed Special Resolution 10-2017, committing the City of Indianapolis and Marion County to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. By utilizing science-based targets, city officials will be able to frame progress in the context of this goal and make data-driven decisions.

This approach also makes climate progress visible to future investors and capital providers interested in assessing climate risk. CDP's model for environmental reporting by cities, including Indianapolis in 2022, fully aligns with guidance from the UN Environment Programme on climate-based financial disclosures.

"Being recognized as one of CDP's A List Cities is one in a long list of environmentally-focused achievements at the local level in 2021, including the passage of ordinances regarding energy benchmarking and transparency, as well as transit-oriented development," said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. "Climate action remains a major priority for Indianapolis as we look to decrease our city's carbon emissions even further, and setting a science-based target with CDP will best position us to get the resources and support we need for future action in years to come."

An increasing number of cities utilize disclosure as a tool to measure the risks associated with a changing climate; in 2021, more than 1,100 cities, states and regions disclosed environmental data through CDP. To score an A from CDP, a city must have a city-wide emissions inventory, have set an emissions reduction target, have published a sustainability action plan and have completed a climate adaptation plan to demonstrate how it will tackle climate hazards now and in the future. 

"In disclosing our environmental information publicly year after year, we hope to demonstrate that our team understands the risks our city faces, and also how our team is planning for the future," said Morgan Mickelson, Director of the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability. "While we regularly use the Thrive Indianapolis plan as our roadmap for work day-to-day and year-to-year, we look forward to setting an educated target date even a decade or so into the future as a goal for where our carbon emissions must be in order to fully hit our 2050 carbon neutrality objective."

While setting a formal "science-based target" is a strategy for attracting investor capital funds for climate projects, the City of Indianapolis has also recently seen its first bond series designated as "green" by independent reviewer Kestrel Verifiers . Last week, the City announced that the $50 million Series 2022C bonds issued by the Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank to fund many major stormwater infrastructure projects received the "green" designation based on how bond proceeds may be used (climate adaptation and resilience projects); how projects may be selected; how bond proceeds may be managed; and how information on proceeds will voluntarily be reported.

The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability hopes that a continued spotlight on green financing options, data-based planning, and transparent environmental disclosure will be a catalyst for further action by other businesses, organizations, and municipalities in the central Indiana region.

Regarding Indy's status as an A List City for 2021, Katie Walsh, the Head of Cities, States and Regions at CDP North America, commented: “By 2050, 70% of the world’s population will live in cities, meaning their role in curbing climate change cannot be overstated. Transparency around environmental impact is an important first step. It is heartening to see Indianapolis disclosing their climate impact and risks to ensure a resilient, equitable and just future for individuals and businesses in their community.”