Adapt DSM climate action plan moves forward through Des Moines City Council - KCCI Des Moines

Climate action plan moves forward through Des Moines City Council

Adapt DSM climate action plan moves forward through Des Moines City Council

In a 7-0 vote, Des Moines city council approved the adoption of Adapt DSM — the city's climate action and adaption plan.

Des Moines neighborhoods will be seeing a number of environmental changes in the future following the approval of a plan to combat climate change.

In a 7-0 vote, Des Moines city council approved a recommendation to adopt Adapt DSM— the city's climate action and adaption plan.

Among the many changes by the plan would be the planting of 3,800 trees across the city each year.

It would help areas like the Beaverdale and Drake neighborhoods — sites of the 2018 flood.

However, one neighbor says tree-planting solution to preventing floods may come with complications.

"We're constantly dealing with having streets ripped up around here to install new storm sewers and sanitary sewers. It's a blessing to have those things done, but it can be difficult," Ben Wantland said.

Another neighbor recalls poor planning as a large reason the previous floods became as detrimental as they were.

"They could have planned it better," John Collins said. "As far as they knew, the water was coming, and they didn't let it out of the lakes before it got here."

The plan also calls for more bike lanes to reduce car travel in the city — similar to the work that's been done on roads like Ingersoll Avenue.

Passing Adapt DSM would also lead to stricter ordinances on construction and demolition waste in the future.

The changes all come with a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by staggering rates in the future.

City leaders are hoping to see a 28% reduction in emissions from 2008 levels by 2025, a 45% reduction in emissions from 2010 levels by 2030, 100% 24/7 Carbon-free electricity citywide by 2035 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as a result of the plan.