Office Of Sustainability

Decarbonizing Greater Cleveland: A Technical Design Summit

The City of Cleveland Office of Sustainability invites you to attend the Decarbonizing Greater Cleveland: A Technical Design Summit on April 13, 2023 at the Cleveland Public Auditorium Hall. Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges that humanity has ever faced, threatening water and food security, health, livelihoods, and the safety of billions of people together with drastic negative impacts to the global ecosystem. The City is seeking to enhance its climate ambitions under the Paris Agreement with a focus on greater emissions and resilience building through the lens of decarbonization. Register Here

The Office of Sustainability leverages Cleveland’s wealth of assets by collaborating with the community to improve the economic, environmental, and social well-being of its citizens. In 2009, Sustainable Cleveland was  facilitated by the Mayor's Office of Sustainability. The first Sustainable Cleveland Summit announced an ambitious plan to transform Cleveland into a Vibrant Green City on a Blue Lake. Since its launch, Sustainable Cleveland has engaged with people from all walks of life, working together to design and develop a thriving resilient Cleveland region.

For more information visit, SustainableCleveland.org

To lead by example, the Office of Sustainability develops policies and programs to embrace a culture of sustainability.

Working with City departments and key external partners, the Office implements projects in the following areas, resulting in cost savings and sustainability benefits.

  • Public Hearings – SOPEC Plan of Operation & Governance for the Electric Aggregation Program

    The City of Cleveland’s City Council will hold two (2) separate Public Hearings on the Plan of Operations and Governance (POG) for the upcoming Electric Aggregation Program for the City of Cleveland on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 5pm and Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 4pm.

    The meetings will be held in-person, live-streamed to Sustainable Cleveland's YouTube page, and broadcast to the TV20 Channel. The general public is welcome to join in-person or virtually. For more information visit, https://www.sustainablecleveland.org/pog.

  • City of Cleveland Community Choice Aggregation

    The City of Cleveland is renewing its community choice electricity purchasing program. Eligible customers of First Energy Corp. and its subsidiary, the Illuminating Company can expect to receive a mailed notice of the updated rates and program details in July 2023. No action is required, customers will be automatically enrolled with an option to opt-out.

    We expect the Summer 2023 (June, July, August) electricity rates from First Energy/Illuminating Co. to be higher than normal due to significant changes in natural gas prices. If you are a low-income household experiencing high-energy burdens, we encourage you to enroll in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP). Cleveland residents can contact CHN Housing Partners at 216-574-7100 for application assistance.

    As a customer you are likely to receive marketing approaches (door knocks, phone calls, etc.) from unregulated energy suppliers, we advise you to NOT sign anything, write down the representative’s name, company information, and immediately contact PUCO at (800) 686-7876. These companies are not apart of the aggregation program and could lock you into an unreasonable contract, making you vulnerable to scams.

    For more information and the latest updates, please visit SustainableCleveland.org/CommunityChoiceAggregation

Climate Action Plan

When the US pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2017, it became clear that leadership from local government, businesses, and civic institutions was needed more than ever. The City of Cleveland, along with 400 "Climate Mayors" across the country, re-affirmed the commitment to climate action.

Progress has been made since the first Cleveland Climate Action Plan (CAP) launched in 2013. Carbon pollution has been reduced and water and air quality have improved while the economy has grown.The City has been recognized for supporting solar and wind energy. Over 70 miles of bike infrastructure has been installed and a bike share system was launched (UHBikes). The Cleveland Climate Action Fund supported over 50 resident-led, neighborhood-based projects.  Dozens of organizations have implemented the Cleveland Tree Plan.  Destination Cleveland reported that the number of Clevelanders who would recommend the city as a place to visit has more than doubled. 

Despite this positive momentum, much work remains across all focus areas. From August 2017 to September 2018, the City of Cleveland led a community process to update its CAP. This update builds off the previous work by firmly establishing a series of cross-cutting priorities: 

    1. social and racial equity
    2. good jobs, green jobs
    3. resilience to the impacts of climate change
    4. business leadership

This plan is about much more than climate change. The actions in this plan are meant to strengthen the economy, clean the environment, and improve the health and wellness of Clevelanders.The work must be done in a way that ensures that those most in need enjoy the benefits of climate action.

2018 Cleveland Climate Action Plan

The Sustainable Cleveland Municipal Action Plan  (SC-MAP) focuses specifically on municipal operations.  The SC-MAP, in conjunction with the community-wide CAP, enables the City to lead by example while reaping the many known benefits of sustainability derived from increased efficiencies, reduced operating costs, and enhanced services.

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