Milwaukee County Takes Bold Steps Towards Carbon-Neutral Ambitions

With the signing of a resolution, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has paved the way for a plan to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050.
The county’s commitment to a sustainable future is driven by the need for proactive climate action.
The long-term goal of becoming carbon-neutral is rooted in the county’s responsibility to protect its environment and ensure a livable future for its residents.

The path to achieving carbon-neutrality is marked by various projects across departments, including energy-efficient equipment upgrades, renewable energy generation, and alternative fuel transportation. These projects will help Milwaukee County meet its emissions reduction goals. *• Energy-efficient upgrades aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 billion pounds annually, which is a 21% reduction in emissions.*

*• Renewable energy generation will be increased to account for 55% of the county’s overall energy needs by 2050.*

*• Alternative fuel transportation plans include a fleet of electric buses, which is expected to reduce emissions by 15%.*

The estimated cost of implementing the 2050 plan is $441 million. The county administration will oversee the implementation process, which includes securing funding and monitoring progress.

“At the end of the day, we have to lead, and when you talk about having clean energy, when we talk about climate change, we have to lead at the local level,”

said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Crowley emphasized that while the county faces resource constraints, there is no excuse for inaction. “Grant, I want you to work with your team to prioritize our funding, to make sure we are using every dollar to make the biggest impact possible,” he told Grant Helle, director of the Office of Sustainability. Grant Helle, Director of the Office of Sustainability, which led development of the 2050 plan, discussed the diverse range of strategies put forth in the plan.