Join the conversation on carbon offsets - online survey launches & interactive meetings planned

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, Aug. 14, 2026 — The City of Ann Arbor invites community members to provide feedback on carbon offsets, a key piece of achieving the goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. A new website and survey are now available through the city’s Engage Ann Arbor platform and a series of public meetings will also launch as part of this multi-month engagement effort.

Carbon offsets, or carbon offsetting, refers to the action of funding projects that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere (removal projects) or reduce future emissions (avoidance projects). Carbon offsets were included in the city’s A2ZERO Plan, which was unanimously adopted by City Council in 2020 and outlines how the city will achieve carbon neutrality by the start of the next decade. Over the six years since the plan’s adoption, numerous initiatives have been helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ann Arbor such as home and business sustainability rebates, tree and pollinator planting and support initiatives, circular economy and waste-prevention programming, the launch of the new Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility, decarbonization efforts at municipal facilities, expansion of walking and biking infrastructure, as well as support with vehicle electrification. While these programs are and will continue to make a difference, it won’t be possible to remove all sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the community by 2030.      

“Carbon offsets help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions immediately while the city continues to implement and develop new strategies to lower local greenhouse gas emissions,” said Dr. Missy Stults, sustainability and innovations director. “Since it is not possible to eliminate all emissions from Ann Arbor immediately, carbon offsets provide a practical way to take responsibility for our impact while supporting climate solutions in another location, providing immediate climate benefits.”

Members of the public are encouraged to get involved and share their input via an online survey at https://engage.a2gov.org/carbon-offset-program. The city also wants community members to join an interactive engagement session at the Ann Arbor District Library Downtown Branch Tuesday, Sept. 1, 6–7 p.m.

This work is a part of A2ZERO, the City of Ann Arbor’s plan, vision, framework and associated actions for a just and equitable transition to carbon neutrality, community-wide, by the year 2030. Learn more about the individuals who are turning this plan into reality at a2gov.org/sustainability.

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Media Contact: 

Missy Stults, Director, Sustainability and Innovations, mstults@a2gov.org