Climate Resilience
Climate Resilience
The Department of Environment (DOE) leads several initiatives to help neighborhoods build resilience to climate change. In collaboration with community and City stakeholders, DOE works on policies and programs that help reduce flooding, preserve our natural environment, and protect all Chicagoans from extreme heat.
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FEATURED WORK
Green Infrastructure Strategy
The 2026 Chicago Green Infrastructure Strategy will serve as the City’s updated roadmap for using nature-based solutions to manage stormwater, reduce flooding, and create healthier, more resilient neighborhoods.
The 2026 Strategy will prioritize equity, climate resilience, and community co-benefits like cooler temperatures and cleaner air.
Shoreline Advisory Board
The Chicago Shoreline Advisory Board helps guide the protection,conservation, andresilienceof Chicago’s lakefront.
The board brings togethercity leaders,community voices,and topic experts to advise onshoreline planning, access, and long-term resilience.
Extreme Heat
As climate change accelerates, Chicago experiences more intense and frequent heat waves and heavier rainfall, straining infrastructure and the energy grid. This leaves many Chicagoans, especially in underresourced neighborhoods, vulnerable to heat illness.
To address these challenges, DOE is working with academic and community partners in the Defusing Disasters working group. The group is co-developing policy recommendations to protect public health and build neighborhood resilience to climate change.
Visit Northwestern University's Defusing Disasters page.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
What is Space to Grow?
Space to Grow is a program that transforms schoolyards into beautiful, flood-reducing spaces where kids can learn and grow. Through the use of green infrastructure elements, such as rain gardens and permeable play surfaces, the schoolyards soak up rainwater in areas that are most vulnerable to flooding. Check out this Instagram post to learn about some of the recent transformations achieved by DOE and its fellow Space to Grow partners.