Alliance members are working to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing emissions, accelerating action, centering equity, and tracking progress. 

Explore Illinois's policies and actions across the Alliance's 10 key policy areas. Numbers presented below only reflect the number of policies in this database and thus may not reflect all climate policies pursued.

illinois

GHG Targets + Governance

Just Transition + Equity

Industry

Pricing Carbon + Valuing Damages

Electricity Generation

Transportation

Resilience

Natural + Working Lands

Climate Finance

Buildings

total

CPRG Implementation Grant: State of Illinois Climate Pollution Reduction Grant

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency received over $430 million in EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program Implementation Funds to support priority reduction measures focused on building and industry decarbonization, freight electrification, climate-smart agriculture, and fossil fuel retirement. Sectoral actions include: 

- Transportation: Transportation is the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and Illinois’ application includes $115 million for heavy-duty vehicle electrification, reflecting Illinois’/Chicago’s status as a freight hub and burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing hub, as well as the disproportionate environmental justice impacts of heavy-duty vehicle pollution.
- Buildings: ​The largest section of Illinois’ application, $172 million, focuses on buildings, with an emphasis on improving access and affordability for clean building technologies in disadvantaged communities, as well as market development and contractor training. Deploying clean building technologies like heat pumps can help Illinoisans lower their bills and enjoy cleaner air and greater comfort in their homes while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Agriculture: ​More than $111 million of Illinois’ application is earmarked for projects to build climate leadership in the agricultural sector, a major industry in Illinois, and help incentivize sustainable, climate smart agricultural practices.

Illinois Establishes State-Level Climate Corps

Illinois announced the creation of its own state-level Climate Corps in partnership with California Volunteers, Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. The state-level Climate Corps will engage people through a variety of activities and create job pathways for careers in sustainability. Fellows in state-based climate corps programs will earn a living stipend and, after completing a term of service, will be eligible for a scholarship to pay for college or to pay off student loans. Some participating fellows will earn up to $30,000 (prorated for those serving in a less than full-time capacity) by serving their communities. Each state will tailor the program to its specific needs and will determine additional climate activity priorities. The state-level Climate Corps are supported through a public-private partnership between philanthropy and AmeriCorps. These states will work with the American Climate Corps as implementing partners to ensure participants gain new skills and earn money while serving their community.

Driving a Cleaner Illinois is the Illinois EPA’s grant program developed to distribute funding for various types of mobile source electrification projects. The Driving a Cleaner Illinois Program implements funding from a variety of sources, including the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) Program.

Driving a Cleaner Illinois

Gov. Rauner launches the Driving a Cleaner Illinois program

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Illinois EPA Director Alec Messina launched the "Driving a Cleaner Illinois" program today, aimed at improving air quality in the state by primarily removing old diesel engines from service.
 
This program makes way for cities, schools, transit agencies, and private businesses to submit project ideas to the Illinois EPA detailing how they will replace the old engines with newer, more environmentally friendly options.

llinois established its own state-level Climate Corps in partnership with California Volunteers, Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. The state-level Climate Corps will engage people through a variety of activities and create job pathways for careers in sustainability. Fellows in state-based climate corps programs will earn a living stipend and, after completing a term of service, will be eligible for a scholarship to pay for college or to pay off student loans. Some participating fellows will earn up to $30,000 (prorated for those serving in a less than full-time capacity) by serving their communities. Each state will tailor the program to its specific needs and will determine additional climate activity priorities. The state-level Climate Corps are supported through a public-private partnership between philanthropy and AmeriCorps. These states will work with the American Climate Corps as implementing partners to ensure participants gain new skills and earn money while serving their community.