We’re creating a clear vision for growing and attracting the workforce of the future while preserving the natural resources we treasure.

Chattanooga’s story is one of renewal. We’ve come a long way from the days of billowing smoke stacks and air pollution so thick that drivers had to turn on headlights during the day. Today, our outdoor resources and growing green economy are distinct competitive advantages. People from around the country are moving to Chattanooga for its next-generation job opportunities and quality of life.

But now is not the time to sit idle. To retain our vibrancy and drive smart economic growth, we have to plan for the future. We must continue to grow and increase opportunity for all Chattanoogans while preserving the natural resources we all treasure.

The Climate Action Plan is a community-wide roadmap for how we will create a prosperous and sustainable future for our city. It sets the following six ambitious yet achievable goals for the next three decades:

• Build a more sustainable city through new, modernized smart growth and zoning policies
• Preserve and improve Chattanooga’s natural resources
• Become a national leader in the green economy
• Achieve net zero-carbon emissions in City government operations by 2040 and city-wide by 2050
• Achieve a zero waste footprint in City government operations by 2040 and city-wide by 2050
• Reduce disparities among socially and economically vulnerable communities

These goals were developed with input from multiple local community organizations and residents, during a series of roundtable discussions and workshops over the last year. Achieving them will require all of us, to work together as a community, for a stronger and more resilient future.

Download the version of the Climate Action Plan released on March 7, 2023 here. | Download the final version adopted by Chattanooga City Council on March 28, 2023 here.

Extreme weather events, climate phenomena, and environmental issues are presenting challenges that impact our infrastructure and assets and place burdens on our most vulnerable populations. Over the past few years, the Chattanooga area has experienced record rainfall and flooding, excessive heat and wildfires, and the impacts of tornadoes and a global pandemic. Citizens and communities must become more resilient in the face of these continued and inevitable challenges.

The City of Chattanooga - in partnership with regional public and private partners - have launched an effort to create a comprehensive mitigation plan for the region. This plan will expand the City’s awareness of potential threats to regional systems, including utilities, transportation networks, waterways and natural ecology, as well as economic, cultural, and educational centers resulting from ongoing changes to the climate, including storms, floods, and other catastrophic weather and naturally-occurring events.

Read the report here (link)

 Coming soon!