A unique collaboration among seven Councils of Government (COGs) on October 23, 2024, resulted in an outstanding ColleCTive Climate Action Forum at Middlesex Community College. Roughly 90 stakeholders attended to share their input on the Comprehensive Climate Action Plans (CCAPs) the COGs are developing as part of their Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG).

Katie Dykes, Commissioner of CT DEEP and Bryan Garcia, CEO of the CT Green Bank, were the keynotes. Stakeholders provided input through interactive workshops on four major sectors represented in the CCAPs: clean transportation, sustainable waste management, decarbonizing buildings, and a climate-friendly electrical grid. The diligent notetaking at this event memorialized these conversations, so the COGs can incorporate this input into their action plans.

“Nothing is more important than hearing from the boots-on-the-ground experts like we did yesterday,” says NVCOG Environmental Planner Christine O’Neill, who helped organize the event.

To learn more about regional climate action planning, visit NVCOG’s CPRG webpage.