Here in Portland, we have many opportunities in the coming year — as the City Charter reforms voters passed last year are being implemented — to influence the City of Portland to address the climate crisis and environmental justice in ways that are more effective and comprehensive.
One way is for us to have a Climate Officer role in the City Administrator’s office, which would be critically helpful in urging the City to implement its policies to prioritize climate action. The Climate Officer would be able to have a bird’s eye view of all of the service areas and bureaus, working with different offices and in each district to implement the policies laid out by the city council and the suggestions of the Sustainability and Climate Commission (SCC). Having a Climate Officer would enable a more cohesive approach to climate action at the city level. It would also offer a clearer path for the City to act on SCC’s recommendations.
Creating a Climate Officer role is especially important for the City of Portland to successfully guide implementation of City Charter reforms we passed last year, and to create a stronger and more coordinated way of addressing climate change across all the City’s service areas and bureaus.
