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Climate change is threatening residents of Minneapolis, with hotter temperatures, destructive storms, extreme precipitation events, flooding, and changing ecosystems. The least advantaged people are impacted the most and scientists predict these effects will worsen over the coming decades.

A key strategy for mitigating the effects of climate change is to expand the tree canopy coverage. Trees sequester carbon, capture stormwater, filter air pollutants, cool streets and buildings, and provide wildlife habitat. According to a University of Minnesota study, our tree canopy will continue to decline without action.

Twin Cities Climate Resiliency Initiative

Green Cities Accord’s Twin Cities Climate Resiliency Initiative is a public/private partnership focused on significantly expanding the urban tree canopy across Minneapolis and the 7 county Twin Cities metropolitan area. Designed to address the most harmful impacts of climate change on our region’s residents, it is a 20 year vision to increase the Metro area’s tree canopy by 30% through planting and maintaining millions of additional trees on public and private lands. This initiative includes identifying new funding sources for tree planting and maintenance, including establishing Minnesota’s first urban tree carbon offset program.

A key new funding source for the Twin Cities Climate Resiliency Initiative is the establishment of the first urban tree carbon offset program in Minnesota.

Carbon offsets programs allow businesses or individuals to offset their environmental footprint by paying for carbon credits from other entities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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