City of Minnetonka staff present climate action and adaptation plan to Park Board

Minnetonka sustainability staff presented an overview of the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, describing its goals, community findings and next steps for implementation.

Ali Sutherland, the city’s sustainability coordinator, told the Park Board the CAP — approved by the City Council in 2024 — is a community guide to both mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation (preparing infrastructure, natural systems and residents for climate impacts). Sutherland said the CAP was developed through a consultant-driven process with staff work groups and months of community engagement and that the full plan runs several hundred pages.

Sutherland highlighted local findings from the CAP: Minnetonka’s 2021 community-wide greenhouse gas inventory totaled about 615,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, with roughly 54% of emissions coming from building energy and 44% from travel. She said electricity emissions have declined over time…