Climate Governance

Context

In order to effectively reduce Portland’s greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate and adapt to climate change, the City of Portland needs to have a cohesive plan that has enough funding with staffing and authority to carry it out.

The City of Portland established a Sustainability and Climate Commission in 2025, which will create a new Climate Action Plan. The success of the plan relies on adequate funding, intra-government cooperation and communication, and accountability. The Chief Sustainability Officer must have enough staff, funding, and authority to bring the plan to fruition. Each of these factors must be present and supported by the City Council to build a vibrant, sustainable city and reverse impacts from the climate crisis.

Actions

The City of Portland must ensure that a new Climate Action Plan is supported by administrative structures and budget allocations that reflect the scope, scale, and urgency of the required action. The City Council can ensure this occurs through strong policies and oversight for:

Supporting the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) continuing in the City Administrator’s office with authority through an updated ordinance:

Reporting directly to the City Administrator, the CSO shall have the responsibility for the adoption and execution of the City’s plans relating to climate, the environment, and sustainability, including a new Climate Action Plan (CAP), and any forthcoming plans the City develops on these topics.
The CSO has the authority to coordinate climate and sustainability projects across City bureaus and service areas as well as the power to enforce and monitor City staff’s implementation of the CAP.

Utilizing the Sustainability & Climate Commission (SCC) as a location for City staff, SCC members, City Councilors, and the public to build strong climate policies.

This strategic planning, advisory, and accountability body seated 20 inaugural members in 2025.
Enforce the requirement outlined in the SCC ordinance that the “Deputy City Administrators, or a designee of their choosing, will be appointed as ex officio, non-voting SCC members,” and City Council members can also be ex-officio members as pertains to their relevant roles on council committees.
In the absence of a City Council committee focused on climate issues, the SCC could be a convening location where Councilors, City staff, and community could discuss and develop stronger climate justice policies.

Vote for a strong Climate Action Plan and allocate funds, staff, and authority to implement it. Regularly require reports including metrics showing progress or setbacks.

One of the SCC’s first tasks will be to develop a new Climate Action Plan, holding the city accountable for its sustainability goals and outlining new pathways.
This should include quarterly activity updates and annual reviews.
City plans such as the CAP should use SMART metrics (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to meet the requirements developed by the C40, of which Portland is a member as an “Innovator” city.
Ensure that, if climate deadlines are projected to be exceeded, there are immediate remediation plans put into place to reverse these overshoots.

Create a climate-aware and -responsive budget.

Consider all aspects of the budget with awareness of the climate crisis.
Make budgetary decisions with recognition of impacts of climate change and preparations for these challenges.
Build climate issues into the budget, with awareness that these are no longer additional to the normal City budget, but are necessary annual expenses.

Consistent, mandated funding to complete City plans and policies related to climate and sustainability.

Allocate funding to successfully complete the Climate Action Plan within mandated timelines.
Ensure that any future plans created by the City, such as a Climate Action Plan, includes budget allocations sufficient to implement the plans.