Massachusetts Municipal Climate Leadership
Across Massachusetts, individual cities and towns are taking action to fight climate change. These actions, referred to here as municipal climate actions, are a key component to achieving the emissions reductions necessary for a safe future.
This website documents, for the first time, the climate actions of over 330 of the state’s 351 municipalities. We hope these findings will inspire further research and will empower citizens and leaders across the state to create more sustainable communities.
This website is a project of the Sierra Club Massachusetts Climate Research Team. The Climate Research Team tracks the progress that municipalities across Massachusetts have made toward implementing environmental sustainability policies. Additionally, the team advocates for the adoption of equitable sustainability policies at the state level through educating and collaborating with municipal leaders and other partners. Our team does not provide specialized solutions for each municipality, but our research is intended to inform and persuade the leaders and stakeholders who can enact these policies, as well as connect decision makers for shared learning.
Climate Policy in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has been a national leader on climate policy for nearly two decades. Key milestones include:
2021 - A Next Generation Roadmap for Climate Policy
- Updated the state's climate framework to align with stronger emissions reduction requirements.
- Established the Climate Leader Communities Certification and Grant Program, building on the Green Communities program to provide additional opportunity and funding for municipalities to pursue actions to meet the Commonwealth’s 2030 climate goals.
2017 - Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Grant Program
- Helped cities and towns assess climate risks and plan for climate resilience, helping communities prepare for and respond to impacts such as flooding, heat waves, and severe storms
- Provides funding and support for local adaptation and preparedness projects.
2008 - Green Communities Act
- Established the Green Communities Designation & Grant Program, which provides grant funding and direction for municipal energy efficiency projects.
- Created additional initiatives to reduce energy use and promote clean energy across the state.
2008 - Global Warming Solutions Act
- Committed the commonwealth to a 80% reduction in emissions from 1990 levels by 2050
- Subsequent updates strengthened these goals to:
- 50% reduction by 2030
- 75% reduction by 2040
- Net-zero emissions by 2050
Together, these policies and programs have provided municipalities with the goals, funding, and technical assistance needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change.
What is municipal climate action? Why does this matter?
Municipal climate actions are greenhouse gas reducing measures enacted by municipal governments. Most emissions in Massachusetts come from transportation, buildings, and electricity production.
Municipal governments have unique qualities that set them apart from state and federal systems. They are directly accountable to, and easily accessed by, their constituents. Municipal governments’ actions are immediately visible in their communities, and they can engage their residents in climate solutions in a way that is accessible and interactive. Municipal initiatives both support statewide climate goals and provide larger societal benefits. By implementing measures such as building upgrades and improved infrastructure for walking and biking, municipalities can lower air pollution and improve public health in their communities. Many of these initiatives can create good local jobs, spur economic development in the state, and decrease municipal and resident costs. Additionally, these initiatives help provide clean and affordable energy for all, promoting equity and energy democratization.
About the project
As of January 1, 2026, the team has collected data from 330 municipalities across Massachusetts, representing over 75% of the Massachusetts population. We selected municipalities to reflect a range of population sizes and geographic diversity around the state. Data were collected from town websites and local news outlets, as well as through occasional conversations with municipal leaders. We recognize that different policies and solutions work for different communities, and that municipalities may be taking important actions other than those summarized here.
The MA Towns for Climate database documents municipal actions in the transportation and building sectors, as well as renewable energy and waste management. We also document two additional categories for every municipality: leadership and environmental justice. Leadership identifies the systems and resources that municipalities have put in place to facilitate climate actions. Environmental justice identifies municipalities with vulnerable communities and known pollution or high emissions risks.
Credits:
Jacob Stern, Yan Gao, Emma Brown, Corrin Moss, Mallorie Barber, Luis Roldan, Brooke Van Ackooy, Claire Sullivan, Caleb Demers, Daniel McCarthy, Aileen McDonald, Evan Dent, Catie Murphy, Tara McElhinney, Leslie Nava, Megan Krause, Avril Teo, Andrew Vitvitsky, Malcolm Johnson, Henry Frishman, Tyler Aprati, Sydney Jenkins, Armando Terrones, Lisa Aubin, Meg Taylor, Kathy Lin, Christian Calnan, Andy Ding
Special thank you to the Barr Foundation for their generous funding for this project!