Time for Chicago to act boldly on climate change and bring back the Department of Environment

Planting more trees, as volunteers did outside Shriner Children’s Hospital on Oct. 4 to celebrate its 100th anniversary, is part of the city’s climate strategy. But the city needs a Department of Environment, four council members write. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

A decade ago, Chicago had a Department of Environment that was tasked with implementing our first ever Climate Action Plan. Released in 2008 with an end date of 2020, the plan was truly ahead of its time, showcasing how cities across the United States and beyond could take the lead in tackling climate change. 

But in 2012, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel disbanded the department, arguing that its work could be spread across multiple departments without impacting efficiency and effectiveness. Unfortunately, that assumption has proved incorrect.