Climate change will be the topic of discussion Friday morning.

Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, and other leaders are set to unveil a new climate plan at Ecolab in Eagan. One of the main goals is to protect the state's environment for future generations.

This plan has been in the works since 2019, and the public was recently able to weigh in on the plan in April. 

The plan lays out goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also lays out actions state leaders and Minnesotans can take to prepare for a warmer planet. 

Local climatologists say Minnesota is already experiencing some effects of climate change with the heavier rain and warmer winters we've been seeing.

But many climatologists say it's not too late to turn things around. Plans like the one being laid out Friday will be integral in helping do that.

The World Meteorological Organization put out a report this year that says there's a 50/50 chance that the annual average global temperature temporarily reaching 1.5 °C above the pre-industrial level for at least one of the next five years.

Climatologists say that's a lot of additional heat.

According to the report, after 1.5 °C of warming, climate impacts will become increasingly severe. Climatologists say if we get to 2° C of warming, there would be even worse impacts, and those would be much harder to deal with. 

"You know, science is always a little bit imperfect, but it is a way of understanding the world, and when you have so much agreement among scientists, it really tells you that we're on to something," said climatologist Kenny Blumenfeld.

State leaders say the plan being revealed Friday is just the first step needed to slow climate change.

The meeting starts at 11 a.m.

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