By Zachary Oren Smith. Originally published via the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

When the Iowa City Council passed its Climate Action and Adaptation Plan last September, it did so after two community meetings, study by an ad hoc steering community and input via survey from nearly 800 community members.

But 10 months after passage, the Climate Strikers — a group led by Iowa City student Massimo Paciotto-Biggers  — called the plan's efficacy into question. Week after week, they have staged demonstrations at City Hall calling for City Council to update the Climate Action Plan with — by their account — measures that take the climate crisis at hand more seriously. 

On June 3, Paciotto-Biggers — along with fellow students and a pair of adults — met with Mayor Jim Throgmorton  to talk through their demands and whether the plan mitigates the city's contribution to the climate crisis.

That afternoon, Throgmorton wrote on Twitter, "This morn, Iowa City's City Manager (Geoff Fruin), (Assistant) City (Manager Ashley Monroe), and I met with Climate Strikers Massimo, Diego, Yardley, Esti, & 2 adult allies. We had a very fruitful and mutually informative discussion. In July, IC's City Council will consider possible changes to (Iowa City's) Climate Action Plan."