The Green Ribbon Commission accelerates Boston toward a climate safe, carbon free, equitable future
GRCx
Watch the Recording
Director of Preservation at The House of the Seven Gables, Paul Wright, discussed the intensive two-year process of coastal resilience planning for their historic waterfront property in Salem, MA; and the institution’s plans for a multi-decade adaptation, resilience, and mitigation transition that proactively anticipates sea level rise and environmental warning signs.
Watch the RecordingClimate Action
Accelerating Boston Climate Action: Green Ribbon Commission Strategic Plan
Our 2025-2030 strategic plan articulates our vision for how the GRC can uniquely contribute to this critical next phase of climate work. Each pillar of our plan is a place where the City needs to be bold, and where partnership with the private sector is critical.
Read MoreBoston Climate Report
Working Groups
The work of the Green Ribbon Commission is structured through sector and topic working groups that tackle efforts outlined in the strategic plan with Boston’s industry leaders – sharing best practices and findings as they go. Working groups convene leaders in commercial real estate, cultural institutions, health care, higher education, coastal resilience, and grid modernization to advance initiatives and drive action based on research and analysis.
Learn MoreClimate Justice
“The Boston Climate Council will bring together leadership across departments to ensure that our climate policies are implemented swiftly, equitably, and effectively. This next phase of our Climate Action Plan will center on building a just and resilient Boston for generations to come.”
– Mayor Michelle Wu
CCAP
Collaborative Climate Action Planning Cohort
Applications are open for the GRC’s Collaborative Climate Action Planning (CCAP) cohort. With Boston’s evolving climate regulations, including stricter Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) compliance in 2025, this 9-month program provides structured support to help institutions develop a practical, actionable climate action plan while fostering a peer-learning community focused on mitigation, resilience, and climate justice.
City Updates
Mayor Wu Signs Executive Order Creating a Climate Council for the City of Boston
Mayor Michelle Wu signed an Executive Order creating the Boston Climate Council, a key partnership that will coordinate the City’s all-of-government approach to combating climate change and advancing resilience. This group consists of thirteen Cabinet Chiefs and will be co-lead by the Chief Climate Officer Brian Swett and the Green New Deal Director and Environment Commissioner Oliver Sellers-Garcia. The Climate Council will be responsible for developing and implementing the next phase of Boston’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), which will focus on short-term methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 2026-2030, furthering Boston’s ability to support climate justice and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Read the Full StorySubscribe to our quarterly newsletter