Bloomington, Indiana – Five years after Bloomington put its climate plan into motion, the city says the numbers are beginning to show what sustained local action can achieve. The latest emissions report finds the community is still on course to reach its 2030 target, even as transportation, building fuels and waste remain difficult problems.
The milestone comes with a clear warning, too. Extreme heat, heavier rain, flooding and severe storms are already affecting Bloomington, making climate planning as much about protecting homes, businesses and public infrastructure as cutting carbon.
The Climate Action Plan was adopted by the Bloomington Common Council in 2021. Since then, the city has invested in energy efficiency, renewable power, sustainable transportation, green infrastructure and projects designed to make the community more resilient.
“Five years ago, Bloomington committed to taking meaningful action to address climate change,” Mayor Kerry Thomson said. “Today, we’re seeing the results of that commitment through projects that lower energy costs, strengthen our infrastructure, improve public health, and make our community more resilient.”
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Bloomington’s newly released 2024 Community-Wide and Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Inventory estimates that the city generated approximately 1.27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent during the year.
Energy used in buildings remained the dominant source. Electricity and natural gas, grouped as stationary energy, produced 67.4 percent of community-wide emissions. Transportation accounted for 25.1 percent, while solid waste and wastewater contributed the remaining 7.5 percent.
The inventory indicates Bloomington remains on track to cut community-wide emissions 25 percent below 2018 levels by 2030. Emissions tied to electricity have continued to fall as Indiana’s power grid adds more renewable energy.
However, reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 will demand faster progress across every sector. Transportation is still Bloomington’s second-largest emissions source, while natural gas and other stationary fuels remain challenging to replace. Solid waste is another area requiring additional work.
“Climate action is about more than reducing emissions,” Assistant Director of Sustainability Shawn Miya said. “It’s about making Bloomington healthier, more affordable, and more resilient.”
This is the second consecutive year Bloomington has completed both community-wide and municipal government inventories with ClimateNav. Annual reporting gives officials consistent data to judge which programs are working, decide where funding should go and strengthen applications for state and federal grants.
City climate projects have already secured more than $1 million through government grants and rebate programs, allowing work to move forward with less pressure on local taxpayers. The progress has involved city departments, businesses, neighborhood groups, nonprofit organizations and residents.
Later in 2026, Bloomington plans to release another report summarizing projects and accomplishments completed since the Climate Action Plan was adopted. Residents can also review the full emissions inventory, explore the Climate Action Dashboard and learn about available incentive programs through Sustainable Bloomington or by contacting [email protected].
