Jamie Ponce, Chicago City Director for C40 Cities Climate Leadership, joined the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Environment and Sustainability Committee on Monday, May 12 for a discussion on climate issues and how we can make Chicago competitive, livable and sustainable.

Ponce presented the city’s Sustainable Chicago 2015 strategy, which is based on the objectives and approaches outlined in the Chicago Climate Action Plan. Over the next three years, the goal of the plan is to establish Chicago as a hub for the growing sustainable economy by improving energy efficiency and increasing clean energy efforts. This also includes fighting climate change, enhancing parks and open spaces, expanding access to healthy food, and improving our transportation infrastructure, water and wastewater management, and waste and recycling systems.

John Carpenter, the Chamber’s Senior Vice President of External Affairs, also gave an update on the Chamber’s recent legislative activity, including the plastic bag ban and petcoke storage issues at the city level and the Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act at the state level.