AKRON, Ohio — For the first time in about 15 years, the City of Akron updated its greenhouse gas inventory, which shows the city and its residents have successfully reduced greenhouse emissions.

The city said Casey Shevlin, the director of Sustainability and Resiliency, has worked with Power a Clean Future Ohio to develop the report. It shows a snapshot of the city’s greenhouse emissions currently, along with progress over the last 15 years. 

According to the report, there was a 29% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions community-wide — shattering the goal of surpassing 20% reduction by 2025. From city operations, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 54%. 

The city said there were many contributing efforts to the decrease, including landfill diversion, wastewater innovations and energy efficiency. 

“Over the past 15 years, our city has made meaningful progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving sustainability,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik. “These achievements demonstrate that sustained effort can deliver measurable results for our environment and our community. The insights in this inventory will directly inform the next critical step in our journey: the city’s first formal Climate Action Plan. This effort aligns with the Living Together pillar within our Together for Akron Plan. These next steps will identify climate solutions for implementation that will advance sustainability for our community, making Akronites’ lives better and our community stronger.”  

As for next steps, the city said it will create a formal climate action planning process. This will include a roadmap for reducing carbon pollution, preparing for climate change and improving quality of life. The planning process kicked off this month and is expected to be completed between September and December 2026. The city said it plans to engage with residents and organizations. 

“Climate action planning is about more than greenhouse gas,” said Shevlin. “It’s about addressing the many challenges facing Akron residents such as energy cost burdens, heat islands, asthma clusters, housing challenges, and more. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also working to solve these other challenges that are likely more visible and pressing for people.”   

To learn more about the report and its findings, click here.