From preparing for extreme storms to training the next generation of sustainability leaders, the IU Environmental Resilience Institute has been collaborating with organizations across Indianapolis and Marion County since day one, connecting community stakeholders to essential capacity, resources, and knowledge.
Together, we are working to accelerate the adoption of climate solutions that bolster community resilience and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future.
Through ERI’s Resilience Cohort, Indianapolis updated its community greenhouse gas inventory, collecting data that can inform emissions reduction strategies.
Find out more
Since 2019, ERI has recognized Hoosiers who are making the state more resilience to climate change, including more than 20 Indy residents.
More than 40 Indianapolis-area organizations have hosted McKinney Climate Fellows, IU students interested in sustainability career experiences.
See the full list
As part of the most comprehensive statewide survey on environmental attitudes every conducted, ERI-affiliated researchers captured a snapshot of what Indianapolis-area residents are doing and what policies they support to address climate change.
ERI-affiliated researchers are engaged in projects that capture data about the quality of Indianapolis’ air and water, including a sampling project focused on the Pleasant Run Waterway. A network of Indianapolis-area air quality monitors provides real-time data that anyone can access.
To better understand the experiences of Indianapolis residents who have been affected by industrial contamination, ERI-affiliated researched documented oral histories, hosted community conversations, and distributed lead testing kits to people living in high-risk neighborhoods.
Urban green infrastructure, such as trees, rain gardens, and bioswales, plays an important role in boosting community resilience by preventing flooding, filtering water, and cooling neighborhood streets. Mapping tools, such as the Indiana Green City Mapper, can help communities identify areas that would benefit from these green assets.
As a McKinney Climate Fellow, Mary Claire Noble helped track emissions data for the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, helping to shape the future of sustainability in motorsports.
“I grew up in Indianapolis, and the month of May was like Christmas for my family," Noble said. "McKinney Climate Fellows was an opportunity to combine my passion and put skills that I know to work."
