Climate action is built into the vocabulary of our community. In the City of West Lafayette, the first climate-related legislation was passed by the West Lafayette City Council in 2019. Two years prior, the city council voted to support the Paris Climate Agreement in 2017. For several decades, engaged residents, dedicated students, philanthropic community organizations, and innovative partnerships have set the foundation for climate action in our city. Community-wide efforts have paved the way for historic change today.

In January 2023, the City of West Lafayette adopted the Greater Lafayette Climate Action Plan (GLCAP), a historic cooperative initiative between the cities of West Lafayette, Lafayette, and Tippecanoe County. The comprehensive plan provides a roadmap for climate action within Greater Lafayette. West Lafayette is committed to progressing shared goals to ensure a more sustainable, resilient future for our community, with equity at the forefront of change.

To measure success in achieving progress, Greater Lafayette has set a goal to reduce the region’s greenhouse gas emissions by 58% by 2030 to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. Strategies for reduction are divided into four categories and include the following focus areas:

• Energy Use in the Built Environment
• Transportation
• Agriculture and Forestry
• Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste

Within each focus area, goals and specific action items are recommended to reduce emissions and strengthen resilience in the face of a changing climate. Some action items are explicitly directed toward government operations; others have cross-sector applicability to promote collaboration and take advantage of powerful community partnerships. While discussing climate action, it is essential to remember that collective action is more effective than individual action. We, as a community, can make the most meaningful change when working together to achieve our common goals.

Greater Lafayette Climate Action Plan

For more information regarding the Greater Lafayette Climate Action Plan, including the GLCAP Newsletter highlighting ways to get involved, visit the official website [LINK] here.