Submitted
In advance of Earth Day, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard has been named a Hoosier Resilience Hero by Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI).
For 27 years, Brainard has championed climate-friendly and sustainable initiatives as the elected leader of the City of Carmel. With his support, Carmel became the first Indiana city to pass a climate resolution in 2017; the city adopted its first climate action plan in 2022.
Brainard, a member of ERI’s Indiana advisory board, has worked to balance Carmel’s growth with its environmental footprint, promoting urban development that encourages walking and biking and replacing more than 100 traditional intersections with roundabouts, a change that has reduced the city’s carbon emissions by an estimated 28,000 tons annually. Other policy initiatives executed under Brainard’s leadership have advanced adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, energy-efficient lighting, clean energy, and recycling.
In 2019, Brainard was chosen as one of 24 city leaders to serve on the steering committee for Climate Mayors, a network of more than 400 mayors who have committed to upholding the Paris Climate Agreement.
Hoosier Resilience Heroes are individuals and groups committed to ensuring a safe, healthy environment for their families, their neighbors, and future generations. This year’s cohort includes professionals and volunteers dedicated to climate change, renewable energy, sustainable development, and other aspects of environmental protection and resilience.
“Creating a thriving future for all Hoosiers starts with recognizing our interconnectedness to natural systems. This is something our heroes understand deeply and put into practice in their personal and professional lives,” ERI Managing Director Sarah Mincey said. “Through education, policy, advocacy and action, these individuals are making a difference in their communities and across the state. In the face of unprecedented environmental change, Indiana is fortunate to have heroes like these in our midst.”
About the Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute brings together a broad coalition of government, business, nonprofit, and community leaders to help Indiana and the Midwest better prepare for the challenges of environmental change. By integrating research, education, and community, ERI is working to create a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.