Plans & Policies

Evanston's climate work is guided by two key plans. The 2018 Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP) sets citywide goals of carbon neutrality by 2050, zero waste by 2050, and 100% renewable electricity by 2030, along with strategies for climate resilience. Building on CARP, the 2021 Zero Emissions Strategy (ZES) targets carbon neutrality for municipal operations specifically by 2035, offering nine strategies across buildings, streetlights, and the municipal fleet, with the most ambitious of three scenarios recommended by city boards.

On May 22, 2023, the Evanston City Council adopted 1-O-23: An Ordinance Amending the City Code and Creating Section 3-2-22 "Retail Single Use Bag Tax". The Ordinance is a derivative of the City of Evanston Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), which aims to eliminate petroleum-based, single-use products by phasing out the use of single-use plastics by 2025. The implementation of this action draws Evanston closer to its environmental goals by encouraging source reduction and minimizing the direct impacts of pollution, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and litter.