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 Wisconsin'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.

wisconsin

GHG Targets + Governance

Just Transition + Equity

Industry

Pricing Carbon + Valuing Damages

Electricity

Transportation

Resilience

Natural + Working Lands

Climate Finance

Buildings

total

AB 453

Requires cities and villages, every five years, to identify areas in their comprehensive plans in which residential land use is projected and outline the minimum and maximum residential units per acre that will be authorized.
- Under current law, unless an exception applies, ordinances enacted or amended by a political
subdivision that affect land use must be consistent with the political subdivision’s comprehensive plan,
and the comprehensive plan must have all the required planning elements.
- Act 173 requires the land use element of the comprehensive plan of a city or village to identify, in five- year increments spanning 20 years, the areas in which residential land use is projected and to specify
the minimum and maximum net density of residences that will be authorized. If a city or village enacts
or amends certain zoning and local subdivision ordinances, those ordinances must be consistent with
its comprehensive plan including incorporating residential net density standards into the ordinances.
An ordinance is consistent with the comprehensive plan for a city or village if the ordinance permits a
land use that is expressly identified for the land in the land use map of the comprehensive plan. The act
specifies that these changes do not apply to a town or county. 
- Under the act, if a person submits to a city or village an application for a residential housing
development permit or a request to change an existing zoning classification, and the comprehensive
plan does not include net density requirements for areas in which residential land use is projected, the
city or village must amend its comprehensive plan to include net density within 180 days. The
application must certify that the land subject to the application is not located in a farmland preservation
zoning district, an agricultural enterprise area, and is not subject to a farmland preservation agreement.
For an amendment to add net density requirements in response to a request to change a zoning
classification, a city or village does not need to follow otherwise required comprehensive planning
procedures.

Requires cities and villages to grant rezoning requests for the purposes of residential housing development if certain conditions are met 
- Act 173 requires a city or village to approve a request to change a zoning classification of land that is
required in order to proceed with a residential housing development within 90 days, if the following are satisfied:
1) The proposed change is for an area identified on the political subdivision’s comprehensive plan as
projected for residential land use.
2) The proposed change is for an area that is adjacent or close in proximity to existing development.
3) Either the proposed net density range of the residences in the housing development falls within the
net density range specified in the comprehensive plan, or the political subdivision has not added net
density to the comprehensive plan by the 180-day deadline described in the section above.1
4) Current housing supply in the political subdivision does not meet existing or forecasted housing
demand within the next five years, as provided in the comprehensive plan.
5) Certification that the proposed change is for an area that is not located with a farmland preservation
zoning district or agricultural enterprise area and is not subject to a farmland preservation
agreement. 

AB 619

- Authorizes the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to certify no more than one business that manufactures biofuel, a majority of which is aviation biofuel, under the existing enterprise zone program to receive up to $120 million starting in taxable years, beginning after Dec. 31, 2025.
- Defines biofuel as fuel that has been created by converting organic matter derived from wood, at least 80 percent of which has been sourced in Wisconsin as measured by aggregate volume over a five-year period, helping to bolster the pulpwood market in Wisconsin and supporting Wisconsin's forestry products industry.  

“This bipartisan legislation will create hundreds of high-paying jobs in rural communities, while positioning Wisconsin as a national leader in the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel,” said Gov. Evers. “By leveraging our state’s strength in forestry products, Wisconsin is well-positioned to meet demand in this growing market, providing a high-value, low-carbon energy source that will drive economic growth and environmental progress.”

FDM 11-46-1 Bicycle and Pedestrian Elements Affecting Complete Streets

The purpose of this procedure is to explain the requirements and applications of the state statute, WisDOT
policy and federal laws and policies as they pertain to highway projects in Wisconsin.

“Complete streets” are broadly defined as roadways designed and operated to enable safe, convenient, and
comfortable access and travel for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transport users of all
ages and abilities can move along and across a complete street with safety and comfort.

transportation

FY 2023-2025 Budget

Governor Tony Evers enacted the 2023-25 biennial budget with improvements by using his broad, constitutional veto authority, providing a historic increase in support to local communities for the first time in a decade, investing more than $1 billion in public education, making one of the largest state investments in workforce housing, investing in infrastructure, supporting Wisconsin farmers, providing tax relief to working families, among several other critical priorities. 

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Tribal Elder Community Food Box Program is designed to provide grants to nonprofit food assistance organizations for the purpose of purchasing and distributing food to tribal elders and supporting the growth and operations of food producers/processors from Tribal nations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Iowa as well as all Wisconsin food producers/processors.

This program may prioritize projects that:

-  Purchase and distribute culturally appropriate foods to Tribal nations in Wisconsin,
-  Purchase and distribute whole or minimally processed foods,
-  Purchase food from Tribal producers, and
-  Partner with or serve multiple Tribal nations in Wisconsin.
-  Pool resources and create partnerships to streamline sourcing and delivery to expand access to healthy food.

Tribal Elder Community Food Box Program

natural_and_working_lands

Wisconsin’s Changing Climate: Envisioning a Climate-Resilient Future

Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) published a 2026 Assessment Report that builds on the 2021 Assessment Report, highlighting how the climate has continued to change over the past five years and how new data and insight is leading to adaptation, mitigation, and solutions. The report is the product of 14 working groups that include over 200 scientists, practitioners, and Wisconsin residents representing more than 50 national, state, and local agencies, Tribal Nations, non-profit organizations, universities, and private sector partners. 

The need for long-term, holistic solutions tailored to local needs is showcased throughout the report such as investing in nature-based approaches to provide durable, cost-effective and low-maintenance solutions and deliver multiple benefits; watershed-scale restoration and planning; infrastructure adaptations; and investing in clean energy and low-carbon infrastructure to address human health impacts from climate change. The report also highlights some of the climate-related challenges faced by Wisconsin’s businesses and industries and illustrates potential solutions.