Sustainability Office seeking community feedback on draft Climate Action and Adaptation plan

The Douglas County Sustainability Office has published a draft “Adapt Douglas County: Climate Action and Adaptation Plan” that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help the community adapt to the risks of climate change.

Sustainability Impact Analyst Jamie Hofling said climate change impacts many areas of our lives and these are demonstrated in the four sections of the draft plan. They are:

• Energy – powering where we live, work and play
• Mobility – moving around the community safely and efficiently
• Living systems – balancing land uses, ecosystems and natural functions
• Thriving community – nurturing health and resilience across the county

The Sustainability team is seeking the public’s feedback on the draft plan this month through a survey - http://dgcoks.org/caapsurvey - and community events and meetings. The first event is an open house that is specifically for youth and young adults, ages 13-29. It will be 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at Sunrise Project, 1501 Learnard Ave. It’s a come-and-go event with food and prizes. There also will be an open house for the public from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, at the Lawrence Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St.

Staff members also will present the draft plan to the Board of County Commissioners during a work session at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, in the County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. Additional meetings and open houses will be held in the county and information will be posted on the Climate Action and Adaptation plan website.

The need for a plan was identified in Plan 2040, which specifically calls for Douglas County to adopt a climate change adaptation and mitigation plan. The plan builds on and connects to multiple plans including Transportation Plan 2050 and the Food System Plan.

During the past couple of years, the Sustainability team has gathered input from community interviews, focus groups, public meetings and a survey. The planning process prioritized lived experiences and local conditions, and it utilized a county greenhouse gas inventory. That input was used to create the draft plan.

“Ultimately, we hope the plan reflects Douglas County as a whole,” Hofling said. “We value the community’s feedback on ways to make this plan relevant, impactful and collaborative.”

The final draft of the “Adapt Douglas County: Climate Action and Adaptation” plan will include implementation commitments, performance indicators, and ways that community members can contribute. The Sustainability team anticipates that the final draft will be considered for adoption by the Board of County Commissioners in early 2024.

For more information, visit: http://dgcoks.org/caap