Meet the Team
Impact 2045 is a partnership between the Master of Regional Planning (MRP) program at University of Massachusetts Amherst and the South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG), in collaboration with the UMass Amherst Department of Civil Engineering program and the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG).
Why University of Massachusetts Amherst?
South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) is the leading organization for climate action plans within the New Haven-Milford metro area, including some communities represented by the Naugatuck Regional Council of Governments (NVCOG). SCRCOG has partnered with the University of Massachusetts Amherst Master of Regional Planning (MRP) program to research and draft its Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) and Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP). As the only Planning Accreditation Board-accredited regional planning program at a public university within 150 miles of SCRCOG, UMass students bring a fresh and unique perspective to climate action planning.
Building on the work of previous cohorts, the 2024-2025 Regional Planning Studio is tasked with creating an in-depth and actionable Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) for the South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG). This year’s team of master’s students in the MRP program is focused on driving meaningful climate action by analyzing sectors, setting goals, and developing strategies that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the 27 towns in the SCRCOG region. The RP Studio is collaborating with stakeholders at the local, regional, and state levels while working alongside UMass Amherst’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department to incorporate key findings from their greenhouse gas inventory. The 2024-25 cohort brings diverse expertise and a forward-thinking approach to the ambitious task of drafting a comprehensive CCAP, advancing the region’s climate goals and resilience initiatives.
