bhamsustainabilityplan.com
The city of Birmingham is developing its first “Sustainability Plan.”
Birmingham is already home to a variety of sustainability efforts aimed at improving environmental resilience, social equity, economic vitality, and community well-being. These initiatives are shaping a greener, healthier, and more inclusive future for all 23 communities across the city.
Residents are invited to attend one of the upcoming workshops where they can share their ideas and help shape the future of Birmingham, according to the city. The interactive sessions are free and open to the public. Those who attend can offer input on key priorities and review draft goals related to environmental, social and economic sustainability.
The workshop schedule:
- Wednesday | 6-8 p.m. | Birmingham Botanical Gardens
- Thursday | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | North Birmingham Library
- June 12 | 6-8 p.m. | Birmingham CrossPlex
- June 17 | 6-8 p.m. | SocialVenture
City vs. Regional Sustainability Planning: What’s the Difference?
The City of Birmingham’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability (ORS) is working to support multiple planning initiatives including the Birmingham Sustainability Plan and Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CAP). These planning efforts are distinct yet related.
- Geography: The Birmingham Sustainability Plan is focused specifically on the City, while the CAP focuses on initiatives that impact the Counties of Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St Clair, and Walker.
- Focus: The Birmingham Sustainability Plan goal is to support the City’s Comprehensive Plan by addressing the city’s sustainability challenges including equity, social justice, environmental justice, air quality, soil contamination, water quality and efficiency, water quantity, energy and resource use, waste management, placemaking and equitable land use, and community health. The CAP core goal is to identify economy-wide strategies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while identifying co-benefits of emission reductions such as improved air quality, improved public health outcomes, and economic benefits.
- Funding: The Sustainability Plan is funded through the City, while the CAP is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG).
- Timeline: The Sustainability Plan is expected to be finalized in early 2026, while the CAP is expected to be finalized by December 2025.
Together these plans will help create a more sustainable and climate-resilient city and region by addressing environmental, social and economic challenges.
For more information, click here.
