In this sprawling Phoenix suburb, the community is grappling with record-breaking heat and heat-related deaths that demand urgent action. The loudest voices for change are the youth—and the city of Tempe is working to shift power to youth and Indigenous groups so that they can build the climate resilient policies and programs they need. Inspired by youth coalitions in Morocco; community-based emergency management from New Zealand and integration of city plans for public infrastructures and utilities inspired by Medellin, Colombia; and the “Indigenization” of cities, where municipalities learn from and give back to Indigenous communities, Tempe’s “Cool Kids, Cool Places, Cool Futures” is a collective approach to cool the region and invest in green infrastructure.

Tempe is one of the six US cities that have received funding ($3 million investment in grants) from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to foster global learning and lead innovative, community-driven approaches that mitigate the health and equity risks posed by climate change.