KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Knoxville area leaders unveiled the region’s first comprehensive climate plan on Wednesday, the results of a two-year collaborative effort that seeks to greatly reduce emissions in the coming decades as more people move to East Tennessee.
It sets greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 40 percent by 2035, and 75 percent by 2050, relative to 2022 emissions. The plan states that without additional action, net emissions will see a 36% decline by 2050 in a business-as-usual scenario.
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The 137-page plan outlines strategies related to modernizing public infrastructure and transportation, increasing energy efficiency, and accelerating the deployment of clean energy. Workforce development strategies needed to implement the recommended strategies are also addressed in the plan.
Knox County experienced 55 days of extreme heat in 2022, more than double the number of days in the 1970s, according to the plan. Flooding remains a major threat across the region that inflicts an estimated $5 million in annual losses due to damage. If current growth plans continue, the nine-county Knoxville metropolitan area will increase from approximately 932,000 to 1,000,000 residents by 2028…