Delaware Publishes Updated Plan to Combat Climate Change and Protect Communities

2025 Plan Addresses Rising Heat, Flooding, and Health Risks

DOVER- Today, the State of Delaware has released the 2025 Climate Action Plan, a practical guide to reduce emissions, strengthen resilience, and secure a safer future for the First State.

"Climate change is already reshaping life here in the First State, from extreme rainfall overwhelming our stormwater systems, to heat islands driving up temperatures in our cities, and coastal roads flooding regularly," Governor Matt Meyer said. "Our Climate Action Plan puts people first by protecting clean air and water for every Delawarean, creating good-paying clean energy jobs, and making our communities safer and more equitable. We've seen real progress towards ambitious targets to cut pollution and strengthen resilience, but now we accelerate - because protecting our environment means protecting our families, our economy, and our future."

Visit de.gov/climateplan to explore the full plan and data. The 2025 Climate Action Plan is also available in Spanish.

The 2025 plan is the first since Delaware enacted the Climate Change Solutions Act in 2023, which set a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050. The first Climate Action Plan was issued in November 2021.

In addition to identifying near-term actions and long-term strategies for emission reduction and resilience, the 2025 Plan outlines climate risks and future scenarios, highlights recent progress, discusses workforce needs, and directs an all-of-government approach to responding to climate change. It also includes a chapter dedicated to the important intersection between responding to climate change and land use.

Development of the plan included extensive public engagement over an 18-month period. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy hosted public workshops in all three counties, held dozens of community briefings, and gathered input from more than 2,300 Delawareans through events, surveys, and feedback sessions. Outreach to under-resourced communities ensured equity, and lived experiences helped shape the final plan.

Delawareans are living with climate change now and will experience increased impacts as humans release planet-warming pollution into the atmosphere. Sea levels have risen more than a foot along the coast in the past 100 years and are expected to rise another 1.2 to 1.5 feet by 2050. Average temperatures in the state are 3 degrees warmer since records began in 1895 and are projected to increase and addition 3-4 degrees by mid-century.

Delaware's precipitation patterns are also changing. Already, we are experiencing extreme rainfall more often, and average annual precipitation is forecast to increase, leading to more flooding in cities and towns.

Greg Patterson, Secretary for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, said the plan is flexible.

"Actions may change over time based on increased understanding of climate impacts, technology advancements, and stakeholder input," he said. "While DNREC plays a leading role in implementing the Plan, no single policy or agency can solve this issue alone. It will take all of us working together."

The 2025 Climate Action Plan outlines a path to near net-zero emissions by 2050 and steps to improve community resilience. It supports transparency, accountability and a collaborative approach to climate planning, with regular updates due in 2027 and 2029. The next Climate Action Plan will be published in 2030.

Governor Meyer and DNREC Secretary Patterson underscored the importance of the plan in guiding statewide efforts but emphasized that climate change is a shared challenge that affects the health, safety, economy, infrastructure, and quality of life across every community and sector in Delaware.

Leaders across Delaware echoed that message, underscoring the urgency, relevance, and shared responsibility of the state's Climate Action Plan:

"Portions of Delaware's infrastructure are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and our team has worked closely with DNREC on this plan," Secretary of Transportation Shanté Hastings said. "Together, we are identifying areas of need and steps we can take to mitigate the effects and create resiliency in the years ahead."

"Climate change is not just a risk for the future, but is already being felt in Delaware today," Delaware Public Advocate Jameson Tweedie said. "Rising temperatures mean hotter summers and higher costs for air conditioning. More extreme weather brings year-round storm risks: spiking costs, strained systems, and power outages. All of these can mean higher utility costs, less reliability in our power systems, and serious health and safety risks if those systems fail. These compound the impacts of already rapidly rising utility costs on Delawareans, but solutions exist that can both help Delaware achieve its climate goals and help control utility costs. Energy efficiency can both lower energy use and lower energy bills, and incentives are available to help with upfront costs. Solar energy is now one of the lowest-cost sources of electricity and is widely available through rooftop solar and community solar to help Delawareans take control of their energy costs. We must continue working together to find creative solutions to help Delaware address climate change and control utility costs."

"Climate change is not only an environmental challenge - it is a public health emergency," Mid Atlantic Alliance on Climate and Health Vice President Shweta Arya said. "Intensifying heat waves and flooding put Delawareans at risk, especially our most vulnerable residents: children, older adults, outdoor and agricultural workers, and people with chronic health conditions. The 2025 Delaware Climate Action Plan builds on the foundation of the 2021 plan and advances the goals of the Climate Change Solutions Act by investing in strategies that prevent heat-related illness, safeguard clean air and water, and strengthen community preparedness. By taking these steps, Delaware is protecting lives today and laying the foundation for a healthier, more resilient future for generations to come."

"Delaware cannot adapt to a changing climate or sea level rise without cutting greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and improving efficiency, adopting clean renewable energy technologies, or protecting the lands and waters that store carbon and enhance coastal resiliency," Delaware Nature Society Executive Director Jen Adkins said. "The updated Climate Action Plan addresses all of these issues and more by including proven strategies and actions, especially for preserving wetlands and woodlands, which are the most effective carbon storage systems we have, and for enhancing the resilience of natural landscapes and agricultural lands that keep all Delawareans safe and healthy."

"At Sussex Health & Environmental Network, we hear from families in Sussex County who are paying too much for energy while also living with flooding, extreme heat, and sea-level rise that threatens their homes," Sussex Health and Environmental Network Executive Director Maria Payan said. "Energy justice means those same families are first in line for relief - lower bills, safer homes, and cleaner air. Delaware's 2025 Climate Action Plan moves us in that direction by putting more investment into the communities hit hardest by pollution and climate change, so children can breathe easier, stay safe during dangerous heat and floods, and afford to stay in the places they call home."

For any questions, please email [email protected].