City presents greenhouse‑gas inventory showing emissions declines since 2005, launches 12–15 month climate‑action planning process

City sustainability staff presented a greenhouse‑gas inventory and announced the start of a city climate-action planning process that staff said will produce a formal climate action plan in roughly 12–15 months.

Director of Sustainability Casey Shevlin told the committee the recently completed inventory found a nearly 30% reduction in community-wide carbon pollution since 2005 and a 54% reduction in emissions from city operations over the same period. Shevlin attributed much of the municipal improvement to efficiency measures in service divisions, including wastewater anaerobic digestion that produces energy and a more efficient municipal district-energy system.

The planning process will analyze inventory data, community needs (for example, neighborhoods with higher heat exposure and asthma rates), and input from residents, businesses and community organizations. Shevlin said the city has partnered with outside groups to obtain technical assistance at no cost, including a Bloomberg partnership and work with Power Clean Future Ohio, and expects to publish a climate-action plan in about a year.

"The greenhouse gas inventory we just completed is the first in about 15 years for Akron, and we have extremely exciting information to report," Shevlin said. "We've reduced carbon pollution nearly 30% community wide since 2005."

Shevlin and Assistant Law Director John Skacom framed climate action as an opportunity to reduce household energy burden (for example, weatherization and solar), create jobs, improve indoor air quality and target cooling investments in neighborhoods with low tree canopy and higher heat exposure. Staff also noted a recent federal funding window had closed for a program they planned to deploy, but said they would continue to seek federal and state opportunities and that the inventory and plan make Akron more competitive for outside funding.

Why it matters: A greenhouse-gas inventory sets a data-driven baseline for target setting and tracking emissions reductions. Staff argued that measuring and planning will help the city direct investments into energy upgrades, tree canopy, workforce development and neighborhood resilience.

What’s next: The city will undertake a 12–15 month climate-action planning process with community outreach and expects to publish a formal plan around September 2026. Staff urged councilmembers to invite sustainability staff to ward meetings and to use the inventory’s public materials and an included "climate action steps" list for community outreach.

Quotes: "This greenhouse gas inventory measures the carbon pollution that exists essentially because of us existing," Casey Shevlin, Director of Sustainability. "We have reduced carbon pollution nearly 30% community wide since 2005," Shevlin said.

Ending note: Staff emphasized that the inventory and the planning process were obtained at no cost to the city via partnerships with technical providers and philanthropic programs, and invited councilmembers to help with community engagement.