Five Plan Elements: Natural Resources, Buildings & Energy, Transportation & Mobility, Infrastructure & Waste Management, and Public Health & Community Preparedness

Resilient Watertown

Our Plan

There are two levers for acting on climate change: reducing our GHG emissions and adapting to unavoidable changes. Our Climate & Energy Plan identifies opportunities to reduce GHGs, while enhancing our community’s resilience to those climate hazards we are already experiencing.

Explore our GHG Data! 

Resilient Watertown Actions

Watertown is committed to taking action on climate change while preserving and strengthening our unique neighborhoods, natural resources, and diverse communities. Resilient Watertown, our Climate & Energy Plan, outlines 8 goals, 16 strategies, and 61 priority actions to ensure Watertown is on a path to a net zero, resilient future.

Timeframe Key: Short (<1 year), Medium (1-3 years), Long (3-5 years)

Read the approved Final Plan 

Resilient Watertown

Cross-Cutting Strategies

As we implement the actions in our Climate & Energy Plan, it's important that we pursue measures to enable successful implementation, including by enhancing coordination and capacity. Doing so will help create linkages across the 5 Plan Elements and achieve multiple goals at once. The City is committed to pursuing these 5 cross-cutting strategies to achieve synergies across multiple goals and enable successful implementation of all strategies and actions.

  • Strategy CC1: Add staff capacity and resources to the Energy Manager’s Office, the DPW Forestry Division, and the Department of Community Development and Planning
  • Strategy CC2: Create an overarching Resilient Watertown Outreach & Education Campaign
  • Strategy CC3: Develop assistance mechanisms and resources for renters and landlords (regarding energy efficiency, EV charging, etc.)
  • Strategy CC4: Collaborate regionally with other communities and entities
  • Strategy CC5: Explore establishing a Transportation Infrastructure Fund with funding from developers and the City to implement recommendations of this Plan
  • Strategy CC6: Encourage and require sustainable, climate-resilient development patterns

Resilient Watertown

Guiding Principles

Six GUIDING PRINCIPLES aligned with our Town priorities will be the foundation for achieving our goals and implementing our actions.

Resilient Watertown

Watch the Video

Watertown is where things get made. Here, generations of industry flourish beside new technologies and a growing diversity of cultures. As a changing climate and shifting economy threaten to disrupt the place we call home, Resilient Watertown is how we will chart the course to a sustainable future together.

Watch the Resilient Watertown Video!

Resilient Watertown

Get Involved

The century ahead promises to challenge every one of us, but Watertown has proven time and again that we have what it takes to keep people safe, happy, and strong. Please join us in developing a Plan that meets all of Watertown’s needs, now and into the future.


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