City Adopts First Sustainability and Resilience Plan
INDIANAPOLIS—After months of planning and community input, the Metropolitan Development Commission adopted Indianapolis’ first citywide Sustainability and Resilience Strategy to help the City plan for the opportunities and challenges that the future is sure to bring.
"Sustainability and resilience are so much more than catchy words; it must be a value that guides everything we do, because we know that today’s decisions shape the lives of our children and grandchildren,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “We are proud to lead with a forward-looking plan that will reinforce our infrastructure, guard our economy, make our institutions more inclusive, and create safer neighborhoods for all.”
The Office of Sustainability developed Thrive Indianapolis with the collaboration, and financial, and technical support of The McKinney Green Initiatives Fund, Department of Public Works, Department of Metropolitan Development, Department of Business & Neighborhood Services, Department of Homeland Security, Indy Parks, Marion County Public Health Department, and Eskenazi Health, as well as valuable community and expert input.
The comprehensive plan features 59 ambitious actions that give residents the tools to plan and prepare for inevitable shocks and stresses — from heat waves and flooding to economic fluctuations and climate change. Indianapolis joins the ranks of cities around the world that have implemented similar strategies.
“Thrive Indianapolis is the culmination of a months-long process to cultivate partnerships and develop actions that chart a course for Indianapolis that is equitable, healthy and prepared for the challenges of the 21st century,” said Katie Robinson, Director of Sustainability. “It is also the beginning of a greater community commitment to continue to collaborate, form new partnerships, and design new initiatives that will support a safer, stronger, more resilient Indianapolis.”
Thrive Indianapolis is organized around four core values which represent the City’s priorities and are metrics used to ensure the plan truly meets the community’s need:
Capacity Building: Helping residents build prosperous, interdependent neighborhoods
Equitable Services: Delivering high quality public services to all
Poverty Reduction: Creating pathways to prosperity for all community members
Fiscal Responsibility: Managing public resources to meet the present and future needs of the Indianapolis community
In addition, Thrive Indianapolis encompasses eight community-centric elements, which include 16 objectives and 59 actions – all of which help us address our long-term sustainability and resilience goals. For more information, visit thriveindianapolis.com
Bloomberg Philanthropies recently selected Indianapolis as a winning city in the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge, an initiative that will be used to implement key components of Thrive Indianapolis. The Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge is a $70 million dollar program that will accelerate 25 ambitious cities’ efforts to tackle climate change and promote a sustainable future for residents. Through the Climate Challenge – which is part of Bloomberg’s American Cities Initiative, a suite of more than $200 million in investments to strengthen city halls and advance critical policies – Indianapolis is accepted into a two-year acceleration program and will be provided powerful new resources and access to cutting-edge support to help meet or beat the city’s near-term carbon reduction goals.
About the Office of Sustainability
The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability works to inspire environmental, economic and neighborhood vitality through collaboration, education and community action. Under Mayor Joe Hogsett's leadership, Thrive Indianapolis, the first actionable plan of its kind in our city’s history, has brought together City agencies, community partners, and residents to chart a course for an Indianapolis that is equitable, healthier, and prepared for the challenges of the 21st century – and then, together, building a more resilient future.
About the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge
Recognizing that cities account for more than 70% of global carbon emissions, the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge was formed with an investment of $70 million to enhance the work already being done by mayors across the U.S. and to support cities in the fight against climate change. The Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge aims to go beyond the theoretical and scale up high-impact urban climate solutions that are already proven to succeed - specifically, from the buildings and transportation sectors. World-class partners for the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge will be led by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Delivery Associates. The Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge is part of Mike Bloomberg’s American Cities Initiative, a suite of more than $200 million in investments to strengthen city halls and advance critical policies.