Comparison of Climate Action Plans among Three Major Cities: Vancouver, Chicago, and Mexico City

Municipal climate action planning continues to grow as a section of climate action planning. Global climate action planning, conducted at a country level, will not suffice to stop climate change. Rather, cities need to step up and take responsibility for their emissions by creating climate action plans of their own. This paper analyzes three climate action plans of three diverse cities: Vancouver, British Columbia; Chicago, Illinois; and Mexico City, Mexico. The study analyzes for motivations behind plan creation, effectiveness of plan created, and effects each plan has had on city greenhouse gas emissions and urban heat island effects. Finally, highlights of each plan, recognized by international organizations, are discussed in order to determine applicability to other cities.