Key Findings from the Greater Cincinnati Regional Climate Collaborative Survey

Read below for some highlights from our open survey, which is intended for anyone interested in sharing feedback regarding how climate change is affecting their community across the Greater Cincinnati region. Information from this survey will be analyzed to better understand localized climate needs in order to strategically combat risks throughout southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeastern Indiana.

If you haven’t filled out the survey, make sure you do so to ensure that your community is represented! Fill out the survey here.

Key Findings

• Cincinnati has the most respondents by far, making up over half of all responses. Covington had the second most responses at 13 percent.
• More than three quarters of respondents indicated that extreme heat and severe summer storms posed great risk to their communities. 
• Stormwater systems, roads, and wastewater systems were indicated as most in need of infrastructure investment.
• More than half of respondents indicated that local governments arelacking in policy related to a wide variety of issues, including: renewable energy, land use, stormwater management, mobility and transportation, air quality, extreme heat management, and housing.
• Communities are most concerned about housing and utility costs, public health, air quality, building and energy, social, racial and economic justice, food, education and outreach, and heat. 
• Housing and utility costs, social, racial, and economic justice, food, heat, mobility, and financial empowerment were indicated to impact most heavily on the most disadvantaged communities.
• The reasons why local governments have not implemented more climate efforts was indicated by respondents as due to lack of funding for existing climate programs, climate not being a political priority, and the government is learning about climate issues.
• Respondents indicated that the Regional Climate Collaborative can best support their climate action efforts by building political will for climate action, developing collaboration opportunities, and creating funding opportunities.
• Respondents would like to see their local governments create comprehensive climate plans, sustainability/energy/climate action plans, and renewable energy programs.