Climate Action

A core tenet of both the Sustainability Plan and Envision Longmont is resiliency.

What does it mean to be resilient?

Being resilient means building a community that can prepare and react to future disasters or impactful events.

Climate resiliency encompasses mitigation and adaptation to the future impacts of climate change. Mitigation specifically focuses on actions that reduce our impact on the environment such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Whereas adaptation focuses on planning and action that helps prepare Longmont for changing climate conditions.

Climate Emergency Resolution

On October 8, 2019, the Longmont City Council passed a resolution declaring a climate emergency establishing Longmont's intent to take immediate and accelerated action to address the climate crisis. This is a resident-initiated resolution that was passed by an unanimous vote of the Council. Read the Climate Emergency Resolution here.

Longmont City Council convened a Climate Action Task Force composed of City staff, other subject matter experts, partners, concerned residents, including those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, to discuss further steps the City should take to promote a carbon-free, sustainable city. The Climate Action Task Force held its last meeting on June 11, 2020. Visit the Public Records Portal to view final minutes for the Climate Action Task Force under the Boards Committees and Commissions Search Type.

View the Longmont Indicators Climate Action Recommendation Report page to view and track progress on actions from the report.

Climate Mayors – A National Commitment

On June 1st, 2017, Longmont Mayor Dennis Coombs joined the Climate Mayors group in releasing a statement to President Trump in response to the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Climate Agreement. To date more than 407 Mayors, representing 70 million Americans, have signed on expressing their commitment to adopt, honor, and uphold the Climate Agreement goals. Climate Mayors is a network of U.S. mayors working together to strengthen local efforts for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting efforts for binding federal and global-level policy making.

Read the full article on the 407 US Climate Mayors committing to the Paris Agreement or visit the Climate Mayors Website for more information.

Longmont Mitigation Actions

In 2018, Longmont completed the City’s first greenhouse gas inventory to develop a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions. Based on the results from the inventory, Longmont prioritized a number of strategies to reduce citywide greenhouse gas emissions, such as the transition to renewable natural gas (RNG) sanitation trucks. These strategies also take into account impacts across our community, as well as affordability, implementation time, and advances in technology. Longmont is committed to ensuring that the transition to a clean energy economy will address issues of equity, access, and environmental justice.

The greenhouse gas inventory is updated every three years, read the most recent 2021 Greenhouse Gas Inventory memo. Or visit the Longmont Indicators greenhouse gas scenario tool to learn more about historic and projected emissions.

Longmont Adaptation Actions

A major flood event in September 2013 severely impacted Longmont, especially along the St. Vrain Creek. This flood affected many properties within and outside of the floodplain. A flood event of this magnitude had not been experienced in Longmont since 1894, and it served as a reminder that the risk of major flood events is real and ever-present.

The Resilient St. Vrain project was created to ensure that Longmont is prepared and can protect people, property and the environment for future extreme flood events. To ensure that all communities are prepared for future flooding, the Resiliency for All/Resiliencia Para Todos program was undertaken in 2017 to identify the barriers and create a bridge between a vulnerable sector of the Latino population, community resources and local government. For more information on all Resilience projects in Longmont and Boulder County, visit the Resilience – Resilient St. Vrain page. Or visit the main page for Resiliencia Para Todos | Resiliency for All for specific information on that project.

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