Climate and Resiliency
Climate and Resiliency promotes strategies, policies, and education to help Hennepin County withstand, mitigate, and adapt to climate change.
We support these efforts with direct investments, training and education, and collaboration with cities and organizations across the county.
Foundational strategies
We follow foundational strategies to build resilience and eliminate disparities around climate change.
To do this, Hennepin County:
- Expands community spaces
- Prevents waste, and promotes sustainability
- Designs for climate reality
- Builds green infrastructure and carbon sequestration
- Transitions to renewables and high-efficiency infrastructure
- Decreases urban heat island
Strategies in action
Urban agriculture
We actively promote urban agriculture through partnerships with community organizations, neighborhood associations, and the University of Minnesota. We focus on transforming vacant and unused spaces into community gardens. This improves food access, develops skills, and helps naturally contain carbon.
- Urban agriculture in action: how Hennepin County communities are growing their own food
- Harvesting community partnership at Four Sisters Farm
- Gardening for change
Mapping and managing extreme heat
The impacts of extreme heat are not experienced equally. Individuals who live in historically disinvested neighborhoods and those with additional health concerns are at greater risk during periods of extreme heat.
Hennepin County is developing a Heat Resiliency Plan that will guide the county’s response to extreme heat and help keep residents safe and healthy.
We also work closely with communities to build knowledge and capacity to manage extreme heat in their households.
- Extreme heat planning
- Mapping the urban heat island
- Urban heat data of Eastern Hennepin County
- Places to cool off in extreme heat
Solar expansion
We work closely with Hennepin County building managers to align with the Hennepin County Climate Action Plan goals and reduce energy use by 3% annually. This work includes investing in renewable energy like solar on county buildings, purchasing clean fuels, and studying how we can go further.
We’re also helping residents save money on energy and reduce their carbon footprint by converting to solar through our partnership with Solar United Neighbors.
Community engagement
We foster relationships to engage, listen, and respond with people-centered solutions to build resilience.
- Beat the heat: Community members share their ideas
- Fostering climate connections
- Electric mobility study
Funding resiliency efforts
We support community climate adaptation, resiliency, and mitigation through two distinct funding opportunities. FORTIFY and IGNITE funding supports non-profits organizations and municipalities as they develop climate-friendly projects.