Lakewood continues to solidify its reputation as a beacon of environmental stewardship, having been named to the prestigious CDP A list for the second consecutive year, an accolade shared by a mere 112 cities worldwide and 29 in the U.S. The acknowledgment, regarded as a significant marker of local climate action leadership, requires cities to publicly share their plans and progress through the CDP-ICLEI Track. Criteria include having a comprehensive citywide emissions inventory and a robust climate action plan, as documented by the City of Lakewood.
Lakewood's Mayor Wendi Strom did not hide her pride when she announced, "I am extremely proud that Lakewood is among this prestigious list for the second consecutive year," as per the City of Lakewood. Besides the mayor's sentiments, Lakewood's achievements were also acknowledged by Gov. Jared Polis, who recognized both the city and the state of Colorado for making it onto the A list, with Colorado being one of only two states celebrated for this achievement.
Among the city’s recent environmental initiatives is a comprehensive Climate Hazard & Social Vulnerability Study that gauges potential climate threats and pinpoints specific community sectors that may require additional resources to improve resilience. The city has also broken ground with a solar installation at the Whitlock Recreation Center, designed to be a self-sufficient enterprise in terms of its electricity needs. With sustainability development standards that aim to direct new projects towards the community's environmental objectives, Lakewood is raising the bar for responsible construction practices that incorporate clean energy and waste reduction. An update to the communitywide and municipal greenhouse gas emissions inventory is also in progress, laying the groundwork for future efforts in decarbonization.
