Maplewood reviews draft climate mitigation plan with interim 2036 target and net‑zero 2050 goal

Maplewood officials reviewed a draft Climate Mitigation Plan at a council workshop after moving briefly into closed session to conduct the city manager’s annual evaluation.

Consultant Ted Redmond of Pale Blue Dot told the council the draft grew from two years of baseline research, a greenhouse‑gas inventory and more than 175 community engagement participants, and was refined by a volunteer collaborative planning team. "This plan will provide a roadmap for achieving meaningful emission reductions through 2036 in support of that long term vision," Redmond said.

The plan uses a 2013 inventory baseline, Redmond said, and proposes an interim target to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions roughly 46% below 2013 levels by 2036 and a long‑term goal of net‑zero emissions by 2050. Redmond said the 2013 baseline and the plan’s targets align with the state of Minnesota, the Metropolitan Council and Ramsey County.

Redmond described three sector strategies: transportation, buildings and energy, and waste management. He said transportation measures aim to cut about 46% of that sector’s emissions by reducing vehicle miles traveled, increasing transit use, expanding electric…