Why Is This Important?
Reducing carbon emissions is essential to prevent irreversible damage to the planet and our city. City Council declared a climate emergency in 2020 and directed City bureaus to restore a safe climate for all Portlanders, centering the needs and priorities of Black and Indigenous communities, people experiencing low income, and community members who are most at-risk and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Portlanders have already begun to experience extreme weather as a result of climate change, including the intense wildfire smoke in 2020 and the record-breaking 116 degree heat in 2021. In July 2022, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability released the Climate Emergency Workplan to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The workplan describes the actions the City of Portland and its partners can and must take to reach net zero carbon emissions to make Portland more resilient. The workplan is based on a legacy of climate leadership , fueled by a rapidly warming planet, and centered on our most vulnerable and at-risk community members.