Sustainability, climate action fund established
By Grace Lovins
In a move marking progress in implementing Birmingham’s sustainability plan, coined Birmingham Green: Healthy Climate Plan, city commissioners approved the establishment of a sustainability and climate action special revenue fund during the Monday, February 10, meeting.
Adopted in September 2024, the Birmingham Green: Healthy Climate Plan is a 10-year plan for cutting a quarter of the city’s carbon emissions and guiding the city toward carbon neutrality. Planning director Nick Dupuis stated that one of the plan’s recommendations was the creation of a sustainability fund to be used by multiple city departments.
To get the fund started, Dupuis requested that $10,000 from the city’s general fund be reallocated to the sustainability fund as ‘seed money.’ Dupuis wrote in a memorandum included in the meeting packet that having the money provides an immediately available balance for things like grant matching or other approved sustainability projects.
Dupuis said the money requested from the general fund isn’t expected to be a recurring request. The city would be using some of the methods mentioned during the city’s long range planning session in January to grow the fund: a congestion fee implemented in parking fees, redistribution of money the city saves as a result of sustainability efforts called “green savings,’ and philanthropy.
With little discussion from commissioners, the commission approved the establishment of the fund in a 6-0 vote. Commissioner Katie Schafer was absent from the meeting.