Climate Action & Resilience

A major flood event in September 2013 severely impacted Longmont, particularly along St. Vrain Creek. A flood of this magnitude had not occurred in Longmont since 1894, reminding the community that the risk of major flooding is real and ongoing.

The Resilient St. Vrain project is a restoration and revitalization effort along St. Vrain Creek designed to help Longmont rebuild smarter by mitigating against future floods. This will better protect people, property, and the environment.

Resiliency for All / Resiliencia Para Todos was a community engagement project focused on ensuring that all residents have the information, resources, and connections they need to prepare for future flooding and other disruptive events. The project identified barriers to safety and resiliency and helped build connections among vulnerable members of the Latino community, local resources, the City of Longmont, and Boulder County.

In June 2016, the Longmont City Council adopted Envision Longmont, a Multimodal and Comprehensive Plan that provides strategic direction and guidance. The plan has a strong focus on resilience and sustainability and calls for the creation of a standalone Sustainability Plan.

Just six month later in December 2016, City Council adopted the Sustainability Plan to support and enhance the guiding principles of Envision Longmont. The Sustainability plan focuses on actions that can be taken over the next ten years to help meet long-term goals that promote social equity, environmental stewardship, and economic vitality. See more details and view progress toward completing the Sustainability Plan on Longmont Indicators.

On June 1, 2017, Longmont Mayor Dennis Coombs joined Climate Mayors in responding to President Trump’s announcement that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. The statement expressed the participating mayors’ commitment to supporting the goals of the Paris Agreement through local climate action.

More than 400 mayors, representing approximately 70 million Americans, signed the statement, committing to adopt, honor, and uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement.

On January 9th, 2018, City Council passed a resolution to commit Longmont to a 100% renewable electric energy supply by 2030. Track progress towards this goal on Longmont Indicators.

Also in 2018, Longmont completed its first citywide greenhouse gas inventory to establish a baseline for measuring emissions and tracking progress over time. Based on the inventory results, the City identified and prioritized strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including transitioning sanitation trucks to renewable natural gas.

When evaluating greenhouse gas reduction strategies, Longmont considered their potential impacts on the community, affordability, implementation timelines, and advances in technology. The City also committed to ensuring that the transition to a clean energy economy advances equity, expands access to clean energy, and addresses environmental justice.

Longmont updates its greenhouse gas inventory every three years. Explore the most recent 2024 Greenhouse Gas Inventory summary or visit the Longmont Indicators greenhouse gas scenario tool to learn more about historical emissions and projected future emissions.

On October 8, 2019, the Longmont City Council unanimously passed a resolution declaring a climate emergency and expressing the City’s intent to take immediate and accelerated action to address the climate crisis.

The resolution was initiated by Longmont residents and formally adopted by the City Council through a unanimous vote.

In 2020, Longmont City Council convened a Climate Action Task Force made up of City staff, subject matter experts, community partners, and residents. The Task Force included community members who were particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Also in 2020, City staff convened the Just Transition Plan (JTP) Committee. This committee built on work that began in 2018 to support an equitable transition to 100% renewable electricity. The passing of the Climate Emergency Resolution provided the opportunity to expand the focus of the just transition effort to focus more broadly on equitable climate action.

In December 2020, City Council approved the Climate Action Task Force’s Climate Action Recommendations Report, which outlined recommended strategies and actions for addressing climate change in Longmont. The report also included the JTP Committee’s final equitable climate action recommendations.

After the completion of the Climate Action Recommendation Report, the Climate Action Task Force voted to disband and the JTP Committee renamed themselves as the Equitable Climate Action Team (ECAT). Visit the ECAT webpage to learn more.

The Equitable Carbon-Free Transportation Roadmap was created in 2021 to outline a path to address transportation-related needs in Longmont. It includes steps to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis through direct and indirect greenhouse gas emission reductions.

A Beneficial Building Electrification Plan was developed in 2022 to outline strategies for shifting away from fossil fuels in buildings. Visit the Longmont Indicators Beneficial Building Electrification Plan to view actions and track progress.

In 2024, Longmont published its Climate Risk Mapping tool to help foster a better understanding of the localized risks of climate change. It also examines the capacity of Longmont to withstand and adapt to climate risks on a neighborhood scale. This tool has been used to help focus extreme heat mitigation work and support the public health action detailed in the Climate Action Recommendations Report.

In May 2025, Longmont become the first city in the United States to be named a United Nations Resilience Hub. This international recognition honors the city’s strong leadership in preparing for disasters and building a stronger, safer community. Read the news release for more details.