KALAMAZOO COUNTY CLIMATE JUSTICE PLAN
Localized long-term hazard planning often highlights how members of Michigan communities will be the most impacted by the challenges of increasingly erratic natural phenomena. Coupling community recovery planning with historically informed decision-making can address these critical systemic concerns more effectively.
The establishment of a combined Climate Change and Climate Justice Action plan within the County of Kalamazoo will test this approach by:
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Building upon a robust foundation of sustainability work that the Kalamazoo
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Climate Crisis Coalition (KCCC) and the City of Kalamazoo, (including the City’s Sustainability Plan, numerous local carbon neutrality plans, and a recent climate resilience workshop facilitated by EcoAdapt).
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Supporting leadership of this work through establishment of a county Sustainability Coordinator position.
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Providing a replicable model for other counties, cities, municipalities, and communities throughout Michigan. The County Climate Sustainability Coordinator will focus planning on 4 key sectors: Housing/green building, Infrastructure/transportation, Habitat/biodiversity, and food security.
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Projects in each of the 4 key sectors of the plan will be moved into action by KCCC staff alongside relevant community partners in 2026 and 2027.
The county plan is nearing completion. A draft of the first plan will be announced and brought to the community for input this fall and winter. KCCC will collaborate to ensure broad and diverse voices have opportunities to speak to the first draft and changes are made to reflect the concerns, hopes, and needs of all of Kalamazoo County Community members.
Contact: Jenny Doezema, Executive Director at jjdoezema@kzooclimate.org)