by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
City receives global recognition for emissions tracking and progress toward climate goals
Fort Collins has earned international recognition for its climate efforts, receiving an “A” rating from global environmental nonprofit CDP for its environmental data transparency and climate action.
The designation places Fort Collins among just 122 cities, states, and regions worldwide recognized on CDP’s 2025 A List, highlighting local leadership in tracking greenhouse gas emissions and taking measurable steps to reduce them.
Each year, Fort Collins evaluates community-wide emissions from electricity and natural gas use, transportation, and waste. These measurements help guide policies to reduce climate impacts already being felt across Northern Colorado, including hotter summers, increased wildfire risk, and declining air quality.
According to the City’s latest data, Fort Collins continues to make steady progress. Community-wide emissions are now 28 percent below 2005 levels, while per-person emissions have dropped 46 percent—an indication that efficiency improvements are keeping pace with population growth.
City officials credit a combination of strategies for the reductions, including expanded use of wind and solar energy, energy-efficiency upgrades in homes and businesses, cleaner industrial practices, and methane capture at landfills. Some of these efforts have been accelerated through funding from the voter-approved 2050 Tax, which supports long-term climate initiatives.
Fort Collins’ Our Climate Future program sets ambitious targets: reducing emissions 80 percent by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Reaching those goals will depend heavily on continued action across the community, particularly in buildings and transportation, which remain the largest sources of emissions.
Residents and businesses can play a role by improving energy efficiency and choosing lower-carbon transportation options, both of which directly affect local air quality and wildfire risk.
Learn more about Fort Collins’ climate initiatives and ongoing projects at https://ourclimatefuturefc.com.
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Attribution: City of Fort Collins