North Las Vegas is taking significant strides in addressing climate change through its participation in the All In Regional Climate Collaborative. During a recent city council meeting, Veronica Freeman, a grant officer for the city, highlighted the collaborative's efforts to build capacity among local governments, organizations, and businesses to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The collaborative, which includes representatives from various municipalities across the valley, has been active for nearly two years. Its primary focus is to tackle the challenges posed by extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and flooding, which threaten community infrastructure. Freeman expressed pride in the progress made so far but emphasized that much work remains.

Key developments discussed included the collaborative's application for a $500 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency aimed at creating a regional building improvement hub. This hub would serve as a resource for homeowners and building owners to enhance energy efficiency. Although the grant was not awarded, the collaborative remains committed to pursuing funding opportunities and implementing energy efficiency initiatives.

The meeting also revealed an updated greenhouse gas emissions inventory, showing that North Las Vegas is on track to meet its goal of a 32% reduction in emissions by 2030. This update, based on 2022 data, indicates a positive trend in emissions reduction, primarily driven by improvements in energy efficiency and a shift towards cleaner energy sources.

Additionally, the collaborative is promoting distributed solar energy installations, with North Las Vegas accounting for over 6% of new installations in the past two years. This initiative not only supports energy savings for residents but also helps preserve local desert land.

Transportation remains a critical area of focus, as projections indicate a 45% increase in vehicle miles traveled in North Las Vegas by 2050. The collaborative is working to promote public transit and reduce reliance on personal vehicles.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to ongoing education and outreach efforts to engage the community in sustainability practices. As North Las Vegas continues to navigate the challenges of climate change, the collaborative's initiatives are poised to make a lasting impact on the region's environmental health and resilience.