Resilient Together: Salem & Beverly Climate Action and Resilience Plan
The Cities of Beverly and Salem are enthusiastic to share the draft Resilient Together, and announce a public comment period to receive feedback on the draft plan.
Resilient Together, Beverly and Salem’s Climate Action and Resilience plan, is the Cities’ collective plan to address climate change, and focuses on reducing the cities’ greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions – the primary pollution causing disruption to our climate. Through Resilient Together, the cities strive to exceed Massachusetts’ commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 while also enhancing the economic, environmental, and social resilience of both communities.
After a nearly year-long process led by the Cities, a 36-member Climate Action Advisory Committee, and consultant Kim Lundgren Associates, the draft plan is ready for public comment and review. Community members can access the plan here, as well as through both City websites. Community members can comment on the plan through a Google Form from June 7 to June 20, 2021. After receiving comments from the community, the Cities will finalize the plan and shift focus toward its community-wide implementation. While the plan is nearly complete, the process for tracking progress and prioritizing actions is ongoing, and the Cities invite community members to stay engaged now and into the future on our collective climate action.
“I encourage all Salem residents to provide their feedback on the draft plan from Resilient Together. Resilient Together has been working to develop an action plan to ensure a safe and thriving region, better prepared to face the challenges of climate change. Now it needs your input to be complete and ready for implementation. Here in Salem, we’re committed to acting on the plan’s action items, through the creation of an entirely new Department of Sustainability, Energy, and Resiliency, focused on taking on this important and time-sensitive work,” said Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll.
“This plan, the result of months of public engagement and deep analysis of how we can best cut our greenhouse gas emissions and address coastal flooding and other impacts of climate change, is essential to our communities' future. We're excited to share this draft plan; please give us your feedback. Climate change is our shared challenge, and we need everyone's best ideas and efforts.” said Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill.
The Resilient Together website, www.resilienttogether.org, provides an overview of the plan timeline, focus areas, core principles, and ways to engage.
